TOWN OF CLINTON – A Clinton man was being treated for advanced hypothermia after he fell through ice on a lake on Sunset Trail in the Town of Clinton Tuesday afternoon. He had walked out onto the ice covered lake about 80 yards from the shore to remove debris from a dock.

Douglas Smyth, 72, who went under water for a brief moment, was able to pull himself up onto the dock. About an hour later, his wife began to look for him, spotted him on the dock and called 911.

Dutchess County Sheriff’s marine patrol members and the East and West Clinton Fire Department members were dispatched to the scene with rescue equipment. Two East Clinton Fire Department members with water rescue suits, used a flat bottom boat to navigate their way across the ice covered lake.

One fireman fell through the ice as he approached Smyth, but was able to continue to the dock and pull the other fireman and boat to the victim, who was airlifted to St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie.