77-year-old angler lost in frigid temperatures after ice breaks away from Yenisei riverbank

A major search effort is underway in Siberia for a 77-year-old pensioner who went missing while fishing on a drifting ice floe. The elderly man was stranded on a large slab of ice on the Yenisei River in Siberia, last seen floating downstream after the ice detached from the riverbank.

The missing pensioner, who has not been named, was reportedly fishing on the semi-frozen Yenisei River when the ice he was on broke away, leaving him marooned. Concerns have intensified due to the harsh weather conditions, with night temperatures plummeting to -20°C. The incident occurred in Krasnoyarsk city’s Yaryginskaya Embankment.

A woman reported witnessing an unknown angler on the drifting ice as it floated downstream along the Yenisei, which is part of the world’s fifth-longest river system. The eyewitness account has become a crucial piece of information for the search operation.

Adding to the urgency of the situation, the missing pensioner does not have a working mobile phone, making it difficult for him to call for help or communicate his location. The search operation, led by local Russian police, has been ongoing since early Saturday.

As the search has yet to yield any results, Russian authorities have issued an appeal to local residents for assistance. The community’s involvement is seen as essential in locating the elderly fisherman amidst the drifting ice in the challenging weather conditions.

The Yenisei River in the region does not freeze solid due to the presence of a major hydroelectricity plant upstream. This unique condition presents additional challenges for the search and rescue operation.

The partner of the missing 77-year-old shared that he was lost without a working mobile phone on Krasnoyarsk City’s Yaryginskaya Embankment. The lack of communication tools has heightened worries about the elderly man’s safety and well-being.

Despite the challenging conditions and the vast expanse of the river, the police continue their efforts to locate the missing angler. The search is a race against time, given the extreme temperatures and the drifting nature of the ice floe.

Local residents are urged to assist the authorities in the search, and anyone with information about the missing pensioner’s whereabouts is requested to come forward. The involvement of the community is crucial in ensuring a swift and successful resolution to this distressing situation.