A viral video near South Haven, Michigan, showing a person 150–200 yards out on Lake Michigan shelf ice has drawn an urgent warning from the U.S. Coast Guard. Officials warn that shelf ice is deceptive because subsurface currents and changing weather — especially wind and rain — can quickly weaken it. Photographer Clyde Brazie Jr. and rescuers urged people to admire shelf ice from a safe distance and use long lenses for photos. The Coast Guard reiterated that rescuing someone from icy water is dangerous and that "no ice is safe ice."
Viral Video Shows Person Walking On Lake Michigan Shelf Ice — Coast Guard Issues Urgent Safety Warning
Vincent D. Johnson/Xinhua via GettyStock photo of Lake Michigan
A viral video shot near South Haven, Michigan, showing a person walking roughly 150–200 yards out onto Lake Michigan's shelf ice has prompted an urgent safety warning from the U.S. Coast Guard.
What Happened
The clip, captured by photographer Clyde Brazie Jr., shows a lone individual standing far from the shoreline as waves break against the ice around them. Brazie estimated the water depth where the person stood could be about 10 feet — deep enough to make a fall through the ice especially dangerous.
Why Shelf Ice Is Dangerous
Coast Guard officials emphasize that the primary hazard is beneath the surface. Executive Petty Officer Tyler Hudson of Coast Guard Station St. Joseph told WSBT 22 that shelf ice can be unpredictable because water movement, currents and changing weather can create hidden weak spots.
Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via APStock photo of Lake Michigan
“No ice is safe ice,” Hudson said, noting that wind, current, snow and especially rain can deteriorate ice rapidly.
Risks To Rescuers
Even though local Coast Guard crews train regularly for ice rescues — practicing in dry suits and running realistic scenarios — they stress that rescuing someone from icy water is extremely difficult and dangerous. A single misstep can put both the individual and would-be rescuers at risk.
Advice From The Photographer And Officials
Brazie, who photographs the shoreline year-round, said incidents like this occur each winter and that he hopes the footage will warn others. He urged visitors to admire shelf ice from a safe distance and to use a long lens to photograph it rather than walking onto the ice.
Key Takeaway: Stay off shelf ice. Conditions can change quickly and what looks solid from shore may be dangerously unstable.
Reporting based on footage and interviews published by WSBT 22 and statements from U.S. Coast Guard Station St. Joseph.
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