UPDATE: 10:43 a.m., Sunday 2/12

Vermont State Police have identified the two victims mentioned below as 71-year-old John Fleury of Williamstown and 88-year-old Wayne Fleury of East Montpelier. Police say the two were brothers.

State police note autopsies will be conducted at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington. Police are also calling this incident an accident and are not considering it suspicious.

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UPDATE: 7:00 p.m., Saturday 2/11

Vermont State Police now say the 71-year-old ice fisherman from Williamstown mentioned below has died at UVM Medical Center.

The Saturday drownings come less than 48 hours after another incident in which another ice fisherman fell into Lake Champlain. Wayne Alexander, 62, of Grand Isle fell through thin ice on Thursday at Grand Isle State Park. He died Friday morning at UVM Medical Center.

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Vermont State Police are investigating an incident where two ice fishermen fell through the ice on Lake Champlain in South Hero Saturday morning. One of the fishermen has died; the other man is at UVM Medical Center, where his condition is unknown.

Emergency crews were told shortly after 7:00 a.m. Saturday that a side-by-side utility task vehicle had fallen through the ice in Keeler Bay. Two men were in the UTV at the time. Police say one of them, an 88-year-old East Montpelier man, died in the water. The second man, a 71-year-old from Williamstown, was pulled from the water and taken in an ambulance to UVMMC.

State police say the initial response was coordinated by the Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from VSP. Several other agencies aided the effort, including fire departments from Alburgh, Grand Isle, Isle La Motte, North Hero and South Hero; Milton and South Hero rescue squads; and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

State police note that first responders encountered difficulties on the bay due to the condition of the ice. Vermont Fish and Wildlife is now warning the public to stay off the Lake Champlain ice due to unsafe conditions, and to use caution on other bodies of water.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Christopher Herrick wrote in a statement:

“Ice conditions on Lake Champlain are not currently safe for recreation due to the past week’s warm weather. Do not venture onto the ice on Lake Champlain. On inland waterbodies, exercise caution: check the ice as you go, and leave vehicles on shore.”