One drowns after half-dozen skaters go through the ice near Truckee

One person drowned after a half-dozen ice skaters went through the ice at Stampede Meadows Reservoir near Truckee on Saturday.

“CareFlight and CHP helicopters assisted with transporting personnel to the incident scene as well as patient care of five people who were able to remove themselves from the icy water,” according to the Truckee Fire Protection District. “We urge everyone to stay off the ice on area lakes. It is impossible to know the safety and stability of the ice, especially with the recent warmer temperatures.”

The body of the person who was missing on Saturday was recovered late Sunday morning by the Washoe County Hasty Team and Placer County Dive Team members, according to the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office.

The office extended its condolences to the victim’s family and thanked those who participated in the rescue, including Placer County Sheriff Office, U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire NEU, Department or Fish and Game and Olympic Valley Fire Department.

Washoe County provided a dive team and remote vehicle to help locate the person under the ice.

Last week, rescuers responded to Spooner Lake after a 23-year-old hiker spent the night in the Sierra after becoming lost.

The hiker set out around 3:40 p.m. Feb. 1 from the Spooner Lake Tailhead. On the morning of Feb. 3, the hiker’s brother received a text for help.

“Acting on the theory that the hiker might be lost, and likely under-equipped for the overnight freezing temperatures, a multi-agency search party was formed to try and locate the hiker,” officials said.

Douglas County and Carson City’s search and rescue teams joined the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Specialized Vehicle Unit, RAVEN, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Hasty Team, Incline Patrol deputies to find the hiker.

The Washoe helicopter spotted the man and was able to pick him up and fly him to Spooner Summit. He was taken to Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center by Tahoe Douglas ambulance.

Mild weather has encouraged people to flock to the ski slopes, trails and other winter activities in the Central Sierra.