A goose hunter has tragically died after trying to save his rescue dog from an icy pond. Authorities confirmed that 23-year-old Luke Kitterman passed away while trying to save his furry friend.
According to authorities, Kitterman had been hunting with five friends near New Baden on January 26. That's when Kitterman's dog ran onto an icy pond to recover a downed goose. Sadly, the ice broke, and the dog fell into the ice. Peyton Matthews of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police confirmed the incident.
"The dog that retrieves the geese had gone out onto the ice and had fallen through," he said. "He was able to pull the dog back onto the ice, but the dog went in again after his owner. And then after that, that is when the owner of the dog went underwater."
Hunter Dies
The friends of the hunter rushed to his aid. They were able to save the dog, but they couldn't rescue their friend.
"His friends did try to get out there to help him out," the official told the outlet. "They were able to pull the dog out of the water and into a canoe, just unfortunately lost sight of their friend."
Sadly, the rescue soon turned into a recovery effort. The hunter never resurfaced alive.
Officials wrote, "A dive team from the Swansea Fire Department was immediately requested shortly after units were dispatched. Additionally, numerous fire departments and emergency agencies assisted in the response."
"After several hours of search operations, due to extreme cold temperatures, the incident was transitioned from a rescue to a recovery," officials also said.
More than 30 search and rescue operators combed the waters with sonar equipment searching for the deceased hunter. They were finally able to find his body. "We're all out here to make sure that he is returned home," Matthews told the outlet.
