BUTLER, NJ – Two men who decided to go ice fishing on a North Jersey lake on Friday were reported missing by family members on Saturday. Local police and fire rescue services began searching for them.
Rescue divers pulled the body of one of the men from the lake. The second man is also feared to be dead at this time, but his body was not recovered.
The accident happened at the Split Rock Reservoir, near Butler.
According to police, at 1:59 p.m., a 911 call was received by Butler Police Department dispatch from family members who reported two missing ice fishermen.
“It was reported that on Friday, December 30, a 67-year-old male from Passaic and a 63-year-old male from Clifton traveled to Kinnelon to go ice fishing at Split Rock Reservoir,” police said. “The following morning on December 31, the two males were not heard from and were reported missing. Kinnelon Police Department responded and met family members at Split Rock Reservoir, where the two males were believed to have last been seen. “
Investigators found the personal belongings of the two men on the shoreline and two holes were observed in the ice approximately 100 yards from shore. The second man is feared to have also fallen through ice.