Coast Guard helicopter still searching western Lake Superior ice flows

DULUTH - A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was still searching western Lake Superior this afternoon, though no one is quite sure what they are searching for.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was still searching western Lake Superior Monday afternoon, although no one is quite sure what they are searching for.

The helicopter was running a search grid based on a 24-hour-old report of someone or something on a piece of floating ice off the McQuade Road Small Craft Harbor public access at the east end of Duluth.

As of early afternoon there was no timeframe to end the search, said Petty Officer Nicole Edwards of the Coast Guard's Sault Ste. Marie Sector, which oversees Duluth operations.

There are still no reports of anyone missing and "we have yet to hear of any results" from the air search, Edwards said.

A Canadian Coast Guard C-130 aircraft has left the search and returned to its home base, Edwards said.

Two customers at the Lakeview Castle restaurant reported seeing something on the ice off shore about noon Sunday. Rescue crews arrived and also saw "something" on the ice but weren't sure what.

Rescuers decided against launching a small boat. Large Coast Guard craft were stuck in the ice-bound harbor. The helicopter came from Traverse City, Mich.