EAGLE LAKE, Maine — A Maine Warden Service plane went through the ice on Eagle Lake Wednesday afternoon, according to a local man who took a photo of just the tail end sticking out of the water.
Peter Pinette, who lives in a home next to the lake along with his wife Sandra, said that he did not witness the accident but that a relative who lives across the lake contacted the family to tell them about it and warn them not to go out on the lake.
“I went down and there’s a plane sitting through the ice,” he said.
Pinette said a neighbor told him that the pilot had gotten out and was safe.
When contacted by email for comment, Cpl. John MacDonald of the Maine Warden Service confirmed that the pilot was safe but provided no other details about the incident. He said the department was still gathering information and that a press release would be issued later.
Sandra Pinette posted her husband’s photo of the submerged plane surrounded by ice on her Facebook page to warn others of the potential danger of going out on the lake.
“My wife posted on Facebook that the lake is not safe and to be careful because this is what happened. Nobody should be on the lake without testing it,” Peter Pinette said.
He added that last Friday he and his adult son measured the ice on the lake and found it to be unsafe.
“My son and I were cutting holes to see the thickness of the ice and near the shore it was about six to eight inches. As we were going out to the center it was dropping down in size to four inches. One place had three inches and we decided that was it. We walked back. We weren’t going any further. It’s not a good situation,” he said.
