On January 11, 2026, police responded to a report that a vehicle had broken through the ice of a lake. Local officers found that two people travelling in a ZIL-131 truck had been driving on the frozen surface to take a shortcut while transporting firewood when the ice gave way. Both occupants drowned.
Emergency services and police recovered the bodies and the vehicle; authorities are continuing their on-site work and a local investigation into the incident.
Officials strongly warn residents not to drive on frozen lakes, rivers or streams, and to avoid unapproved roads, passes and ice crossings. They remind the public that ice thickness and strength vary greatly and that shortcuts across frozen water can put lives at risk.
On January 11, 2026, police responded to a report that a vehicle had broken through the ice of a lake. Local officers found that two people travelling in a ZIL-131 truck had been driving on the frozen surface to take a shortcut while transporting firewood when the ice gave way. Both occupants drowned.
Emergency services and police recovered the bodies and the vehicle; authorities are continuing their on-site work and a local investigation into the incident.
Officials strongly warn residents not to drive on frozen lakes, rivers or streams, and to avoid unapproved roads, passes and ice crossings. They remind the public that ice thickness and strength vary greatly and that shortcuts across frozen water can put lives at risk.
