RCMP officers rescued two snowmobilers from Bennett Lake last Thursday afternoon.

Just after 2 p.m. that day, Carcross RCMP were advised by dispatch that two men had fallen through the ice while snowmobiling on the north shore of Bennett Lake, near Carcross.

With winter survival gear and rescue gear in tow, two Carcross officers left on their snowmobiles and headed for the shore of Bennett Lake, police said Friday afternoon.

About 20 minutes later, the officers spotted the two men from a distance, via binoculars.

A few minutes later, at 2:49 p.m., officers located the men approximately nine metres (30 feet) from the shore.

One man had made his way out onto the ice, and the other was standing on the submerged snowmobile.

Officers extended a ladder to the man in the water, and were able to quickly get him to a safe, dry area.

A fire was started while the group waited for the rescue helicopter to arrive from Whitehorse.

The two men, whose names were not made public, were mildly hypothermic but conscious and alert. They were given sleeping bags to warm up.

The helicopter arrived a short time later and transported them to Whitehorse General Hospital a be assessed.

“This incident is an example of the reality of policing in the North,” said Insp. Lindsay Ellis, the district operations officer.

“We may not tell these stories often, but our employees risk their lives to save others in situations like this on a regular basis.

“I am very proud of the response from the Carcross members, and thankful for the strong assistance from the search and rescue co-ordinator and Whitehorse detachment, including our dispatchers.

“They played an important role in ensuring everyone involved in this incident remained safe,” Ellis added.

Police remind the public that “despite the icy cold temperatures we’ve experienced over the past few weeks, not all waterways in the Yukon are stable and completely frozen.

“If you’re heading out to enjoy the lakes and rivers of the territory, please exercise extreme caution, check ice thickness and remain as close to the shoreline as possible.”

People should also make sure they have all the appropriate winter survival gear with them, including fire-starting materials, and a communication device – which should be kept on their person for easy access.

If your fire-starters and device are not on your person, police pointed out, they won’t be helpful if you unexpectedly get separated from your supplies or vehicle.