Ice Fishermen Become Disoriented; Truck Sinks in Webb Lake, Maine

Two ice fishermen moving a shack from one lake to another became lost in a snowstorm, drove onto thin ice and sank into Webb Lake near Weld at approximately 10 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009.

Craig Coulombe and Willfred Gagne, both of Farmington, were pulling the shack on a trailer from Embden Pond to Webb Lake.

Coulombe, who was driving his 1999 Dodge 1500, was traveling on the north end of Webb Lake to the Dummers Beach area, where he dropped off the shack.

When leaving, the men became disoriented by the snowstorm and told Game Warden Kris MacCabe that they believed they were driving northbound when in fact they were heading south.

Warden MacCabe said the men drove the entire length of the lake before going into thin ice and open water at the narrow part of the lake by Webb River.

Wardens MacCabe and Josh Smith responded to the ice anglers’ call for help. Neither fisherman was hurt.

Today, a tow-truck operator was attempting to get the truck and trailer out of the lake. Breaking ice was delaying the process.

Tom Remington