Preliminary numbers as of 04/4/2025.
Fatalities by winter season
There has been a total of 272 ice-related fatalities in Minnesota since January of 1976. The table below lists the number of fatalities by winter season (November through April), apart from the first season which is only January through April 1976 because we do not have data from 1975.
Winter Seasons | Number of Fatalities |
|---|---|
| Jan-Apr 1976 | 6 |
| 1976-77 | 4 |
| 1977-78 | 3 |
| 1978-79 | 3 |
| 1979-80 | 16 |
| 1980-81 | 16 |
| 1981-82 | 6 |
| 1982-83 | 22 |
| 1983-84 | 2 |
| 1984-85 | 6 |
| 1985-86 | 4 |
| 1986-87 | 12 |
| 1987-88 | 7 |
| 1988-89 | 3 |
| 1989-90 | 8 |
| 1990-91 | 3 |
| 1991-92 | 5 |
| 1992-93 | 7 |
| 1993-94 | 5 |
| 1994-95 | 4 |
| 1995-96 | 9 |
| 1996-97 | 8 |
| 1997-98 | 7 |
| 1998-99 | 10 |
| 1999-00 | 4 |
| 2000-01 | 4 |
| 2001-02 | 5 |
| 2002-03 | 10 |
| 2003-04 | 3 |
| 2004-05 | 2 |
| 2005-06 | 2 |
| 2006-07 | 8 |
| 2007-08 | 3 |
| 2008-09 | 2 |
| 2009-10 | 1 |
| 2010-11 | 4 |
| 2011-12 | 4 |
| 2012-13 | 6 |
| 2013-14 | 2 |
| 2014-15 | 5 |
| 2015-16 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 6 |
| 2018-19 | 5 |
| 2019-20 | 2 |
| 2020-21 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 3 |
| 2023-24 | 6 |
| 2024-25 | 3 |
Winter | Number of |
|---|---|
| Jan-Apr 1976 | 6 |
| 1976-77 | 4 |
| 1977-78 | 3 |
| 1978-79 | 3 |
| 1979-80 | 16 |
| 1980-81 | 16 |
| 1981-82 | 6 |
| 1982-83 | 22 |
| 1983-84 | 2 |
| 1984-85 | 6 |
| 1985-86 | 4 |
| 1986-87 | 12 |
| 1987-88 | 7 |
| 1988-89 | 3 |
| 1989-90 | 8 |
| 1990-91 | 3 |
| 1991-92 | 5 |
Winter | Number of |
|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 7 |
| 1993-94 | 5 |
| 1994-95 | 4 |
| 1995-96 | 9 |
| 1996-97 | 8 |
| 1997-98 | 7 |
| 1998-99 | 10 |
| 1999-00 | 4 |
| 2000-01 | 4 |
| 2001-02 | 5 |
| 2002-03 | 10 |
| 2003-04 | 3 |
| 2004-05 | 2 |
| 2005-06 | 2 |
| 2006-07 | 8 |
| 2007-08 | 3 |
| 2008-09 | 2 |
Winter | Number of |
|---|---|
| 2009-10 | 1 |
| 2010-11 | 4 |
| 2011-12 | 4 |
| 2012-13 | 6 |
| 2013-14 | 2 |
| 2014-15 | 5 |
| 2015-16 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 6 |
| 2018-19 | 5 |
| 2019-20 | 2 |
| 2020-21 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 3 |
| 2023-24 | 6 |
| 2024-25 | 3 |
Average number of deaths per winter season
Number of Seasons | Years | Average Deaths Per Season |
|---|---|---|
| 45-year average | 19780/81 - 2024/25 | 5.3 |
| 35-year average | 1990/91 - 2024/25 | 4.4 |
| 10-year average | 2015/16 - 2024/25 | 3.1 |
| 5-year average | 2020/21 - 2024/25 | 3.2 |
Number of deaths per mode of travel
January 1976 - April 2024 | November 2019 – April 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mode of Travel | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths | Number of Deaths | % of Total Deaths |
| Snowmobile or ATV/UTV | 119 | 43.8% | 7 | 43.8% |
| Motor vehicle | 59 | 21.7% | 4 | 25% |
| On foot | 79 | 29% | 3 | 18.8% |
| Other | 15 | 5.5% | 2 | 12.5% |
Total | 272 | 100% | 16 | 100% |
Fatalities by victim's age
Age range (years) | Number of victims | % of victims |
|---|---|---|
| 0-9 | 46 | 16.9% |
| 10-19 | 34 | 12.5% |
| 20-29 | 47 | 17.3% |
| 30-39 | 42 | 15.4% |
| 40-49 | 20 | 7.4% |
| 50-59 | 30 | 11% |
| 60-69 | 31 | 11.4% |
| 70-79 | 13 | 4.8% |
| 80-89 | 8 | 2.9% |
| Unknown | 1 | 0.4% |
Total | 272 | 100% |
Age range (years) | Number of victims | % of victims |
|---|---|---|
| 0-9 | 1 | 6.3% |
| 10-19 | 3 | 18.8% |
| 20-29 | 0 | 0% |
| 30-39 | 0 | 0% |
| 40-49 | 1 | 6.3% |
| 50-59 | 3 | 18.8% |
| 60-69 | 4 | 25% |
| 70-79 | 2 | 12.5% |
| 80-89 | 2 | 12.5% |
Total | 16 | 100% |
Ice-related fatalities: January 1976 – April 2025 (by calendar year)
The table below includes key information about every ice-related fatality in Minnesota beginning in January 1976. Although it is commonly misunderstood, research shows that most through-the-ice fatalities are due to drowning – not hypothermia. Since 1976, there have been 269 ice-related fatalities, and only 5 have been a result of hypothermia (noted below under “accident type”).
| Date | County | Waterbody | Age | Accident Type |
|---|