Three skaters in distress rescued by helicopter

They have now been brought ashore in Söderhamn, where they are being examined by waiting ambulance personnel, said Björn Alverfeldt, press spokesperson for the Swedish Maritime Administration.

The people, who were outside the Klacksörarna Islands in the Söderhamn archipelago, were well-dressed and stayed dry, but it was windy at the location and the ice floe, which initially measured approximately 50 by 10 meters, split in two.

Two people were on one of the platforms and one person on the other, Björn Alverfeldt said.

The Swedish Coast Guard helicopter was called to the scene from Norrtälje, and local rescue services attempted to reach the scene by boat. A pilot boat was called to the scene from Ljusne.