By John Dobberstein, Editor
AVANT, Okla. — Two young boys died Saturday in a drowning incident in Osage County after they fell through the ice on Bird Creek near Avant, the authorities said.
The boys had been reported missing initially, then deputies received a 911 call around 7:13 p.m. that residents and first responders located one child in the water near the creek bank just outside of Avant, the Osage County Sheriff’s Department said. Lifesaving measures were immediately started but the was pronounced dead.
Search efforts intensified for the second child on an area of broken ice along a large section of Bird Creek. Emergency personnel worked for several hours using ground search teams, aerial drones, a rescue boat and dive teams.
The second child was located and recovered from the water around 11:30 p.m. The two boys were 8 and 9 years old.
“The Osage County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the entire Avant community during this unimaginable loss,” the department said in a statement. “Incidents involving children are among the most difficult situations first responders face, and this tragedy has deeply impacted everyone involved.”
The sheriff’s office urged the public to avoid walking, playing, or driving on frozen bodies of water, warning that ice conditions can be unpredictable and dangerous even when they appear solid.
Assisting at the scene was Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Tulsa Task Force 1, Osage County Sheriff Office, Barnsdall EMS, Skiatook EMS, Skiatook Fire and Air Evac EMS.
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