Two German skiers rescued after ice sheet breaks in the Gulf of Bothnia

Two German skiers were rescued on Tuesday after becoming stranded on an ice floe in the Gulf of Bothnia. The pair had been attempting to cross approximately 100 miles of frozen sea between Oulu, Finland, and Lulea, Sweden. While they were sleeping, the ice sheet they had camped on cracked, causing them to lose most of their equipment in the freezing water. The individuals managed to reach more stable ice and activated a distress beacon at approximately 6:30 a.m. Additionally, they attempted to signal for help by arranging blocks of ice into an SOS pattern. The Finnish Maritime Rescue Centre coordinated a large-scale operation involving the Western Finland Coast Guard and aircraft from both Finland and Sweden. Despite challenging weather conditions, the skiers were located and successfully rescued around 11:45 a.m. Both individuals were reported to be in good physical condition following the ordeal.