Latvia rescues over 220 people stranded on ice floes in Gulf of Riga

PanARMENIAN.Net - Latvia's emergency services rescued more than 220 people who were stranded on ice floes in the Gulf of Riga on Friday, March 28, according to Reuters.

About 180 people, mostly fishermen, were rescued from a floe off the town of Vakarbulli, while another 43 people were taken off the ice near the seaside resort of Jurmala.

The State Fire and Rescue Service used boats, ships and helicopters in an operation that took more than three hours, said Viktorija Sembele, a spokeswoman for the service.

The ice had drifted in strong winds about 4 km (2-1/2 miles) from the shore by the end of the operation, she said. Only one person needed medical attention, Latvian Public Radio said.