Man drowns after breaking through ice while trying to rescue dog

A man drowned after apparently falling through ice while trying to rescue his dog in Marlborough, police said.

Marlborough police said they were asked to conduct a welfare check on a resident at 8:23 a.m. Friday morning after the person had not been heard from since 4 p.m. Thursday.

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Authorities searched the surrounding area, and police asked neighbors if they knew where the resident frequently walked their dog.

After neighbors provided a list of usual areas, a search began on foot to find the missing resident.

Shortly thereafter, neighbors found a suspicious hole in the ice 49 yards from the shore of Meetinghouse Pond, and dog and human tracks were found in the area of the opening in the ice.

During the search, a closer look with binoculars revealed what appeared to be a dead dog, which the Jaffrey Fire Department and Troy police ice rescue teams were able to recover.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Dive Team was then able to recover the missing person's body.

Police said it appears the person had taken his dog for a usual evening walk out to Meetinghouse Pond, and the dog walked out onto unsafe ice and broke through.

The dog's owner apparently retrieved a large tree limb and tried to rescue his dog, but apparently fell through the ice and drowned in approximately 12 feet of water.

Cox Media Group