An 88-year-old grandfather tragically lost his life after an ATV accident on Spring River Lake in Hancock County, Maine. Floyd Hardison had been enjoying a day of ice fishing with his son and two grandsons when the incident occurred on Friday evening.

Authorities reported that the family had decided to pack up and head back to shore around 6 p.m. They were riding on two separate ATVs, with the grandfather and one adult grandson on one vehicle, and the other grandson and their father on another.

Unfortunately, as they were making their way back, Hardison's ATV crashed through the ice approximately 400 yards from shore. Mark Latti, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, confirmed the incident.

While one of the grandsons managed to climb back onto the ice and escape, Hardison was unable to do so. His body was discovered in 10-feet-deep water by a firefighter wearing a wetsuit, approximately two hours later.

This incident is the latest in a series of accidents related to treacherous ice conditions in the northeast region. In late January, a Maine town manager drowned while attempting to rescue his 4-year-old son after they both fell through the ice at Etna Pond. Luckily, in the same month, two adults and three children survived when their vehicle crashed through the ice on Moose Pond in Denmark, Maine.

Moreover, in January, a lobsterman played a critical role in locating a missing man off the coast of Maine after hearing faint cries for help. In another heroic act, a Vermont state trooper jumped into an icy pond in December to save an 8-year-old girl who had been submerged for minutes. Fortunately, all individuals involved in that incident survived.

These tragic events serve as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by thin or unstable ice, particularly during winter months. Authorities urge individuals to exercise caution and avoid venturing onto ice without knowing its thickness and strength.