DNR Airboat, Local Agencies Rescue Hunters from Nearly Frozen White River

Conservation officers from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources deployed an airboat and rescued hunters from the White River after the waterway froze nearly bank to bank, bringing them safely to shore, county officials reported. The call for help came on January 26, 2026, and the response involved coordinated work by the Dubois County Sheriff’s Department, Dubois County Emergency Medical Services, Haysville Fire Department and Luce Township Fire Department from Spencer County.

The DNR conservation officers located the hunters in conditions that left little open water and limited safe passage by conventional boats. Using the airboat enabled responders to travel over thin ice and shallow, irregular channels that ordinary rescue craft could not negotiate. The hunters were removed from the river without injury and transferred to shore-based responders for evaluation by emergency medical personnel.

Dubois County leaders say the episode highlights the particular risk that late-winter freeze-thaw cycles pose to people recreating on and near the White River. Hunting along the river is a long-standing local tradition, and thin ice hazards can appear quickly after cold snaps and early thaws. Interagency cooperation was crucial in this incident; Haysville Fire Department and Luce Township Fire Department provided firefighting and rescue support while Dubois County EMS stood ready to treat any hypothermia or trauma.

The use of an airboat illustrates an investment in specialized equipment that can make rescues safer but also strains small-department resources during severe weather. Local emergency services typically balance routine calls with seasonal surges, and incidents that require airboat deployment or multi-agency responses carry operational and manpower costs that fall on county budgets and volunteer crews. For residents, the incident is a reminder that emergency response capacity depends on both equipment and cross-jurisdictional coordination.

Looking ahead, public safety officials in Dubois County are likely to renew outreach on river safety and hunting precautions for the remainder of the winter. Practical steps for residents include avoiding river ice unless tested and maintained for public use, carrying communication devices, and notifying family or partners of planned river access. The White River rescue underscores how quickly conditions can change and why rapid, well-coordinated responses matter to keep local hunters and river users safe as the season continues.