Police believe the couple fell through ice while out walking their dog at First Encounter Beach in Eastham, Massachusetts, on Saturday, Feb. 14
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NEED TO KNOW
- A woman has died and her husband is missing after police believe the couple fell through ice while out walking their dog on Valentine’s Day in Massachusetts
- The Eastham Police Department said they responded to a report of a “loose dog” at First Encounter Beach and then located a women who had fallen through ice into the water
- Through their investigation they believe the woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene, may have been out walking with her husband and their dog, with the husband still not located as of the morning of Sunday, Feb. 15
A woman has died and her husband is missing after police believe they fell through ice while out walking their dog on Valentine's Day.
On Saturday, Feb. 14, the Eastham Police Department in Massachusetts shared in a press release on Facebook that they responded to a report of a “loose dog” in the parking lot of First Encounter Beach at 9:07 a.m.
The person who called authorities described the dog as “wet” and "appearing to be "in distress."
When an officer arrived at the scene, a woman was heard screaming for help in the Bee’s River area. The officer located the woman, who had fallen through ice and into the water. They attempted to pull her out of the water, but they both became "completely submerged" after the ice gave away, police said.
Eastham Police Department
“A second officer arrived on scene and observed the officer that had entered the water attempting to pull himself back up onto the ice,” the release continued.
The second officer then attempted to go out onto the ice where the woman had fallen, but he also fell into the water after the ice gave way.
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“Both officers were able to successfully make it back to the shore,” authorities said. “The Eastham Fire Department arrived on scene and members of the fire department immediately initiated rescue efforts.”
The two officers were taken to hospital for evaluation before the Barnstable County Technical Rescue Team and Dive Team began their rescue operation with divers entering the water to find the woman.
“As rescuers were searching the water, an on-scene investigation revealed that the female party may have been out walking with her husband and dog,” police added. “Based on items located in their vehicle and a check of their residence, it was determined that it was possible that the husband may have fallen through the ice prior to the officer’s arrival.”
The woman was located beneath the ice at 11:12 a.m. and pronounced dead at the scene.
“The Tech team is currently continuing to search the water for the husband,” the police said. “The area is still an active scene, and the public should avoid the area. The name of the deceased female and the missing male are being withheld pending the notification of the next of kin.”
In an update on Sunday, the police department said a follow- up search was carried out at 7 a.m. The search concluded around 9 a.m., “still without the second victim being located.”
Authorities said the search will continue when ice conditions change, adding that the identities of the victims will not be revealed at the request of their family.
PEOPLE has contacted the Eastham Police Department for comment.
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