Both a Niagara Regional Police officer and a Welland woman had to be taken to hospital after falling in the Welland Canal during a rope rescue.
The woman had gone out on the ice in Dain City Monday afternoon to rescue her dog, which had fallen into the water.
In doing so, she fell in the water before being spotted by a man who was walking his dog with a friend. The man called police around 2:45 p.m.
When police arrived, the woman wasn’t able to grip anything because of prolonged exposure to cold water, so an officer took off his equipment, slid on the ice and secured a rescue rope around the woman’s wrist.
Once those onshore began pulling the woman, the ice collapsed under the officer and he also fell in the water.
The officer pushed the woman while others onshore pulled. He was retrieved from the water once she was out.
Both the woman and the police officer were taken to Welland County General Hospital — one for hypothermia and the other for cold water exposure. They are expected to fully recover.
The woman’s dog was not recovered.
Source: The Hamilton Spectator