A husband and wife are dead after a tragic accident over the weekend.

Just before 3:45 p.m. Saturday afternoon, authorities were contacted by someone who observed two people who had fallen through the ice while fishing in a farm pond. Emergency crews responded to the scene near Durham, Illinois, in extreme western Illinois. They rescued the two people from the water and began life-saving efforts. A release from the Hancock County Sheriff's Office does not state whether it's known how long they were in the water.

The man and woman in the water were taken to Great River Medical Center in West Burlington, Iowa. Unfortunately, after several hours of life-saving measures, they were both pronounced deceased at the hospital.

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The two people have been identified as 52-year-old Sean Chaney and 50-year-old Dawn Chaney. They were both from LaHarpe, Illinois, less than 10 minutes from Durham. Durham is also less than 10 minutes from the Mississippi River.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reminds you that "no ice is 100 percent safe. New ice is usually stronger than old ice... Avoid off-colored snow or ice. It is usually a sign of weakness." They say that a minimum of four inches of good ice is needed for ice fishing. It's also recommended that you take ice picks along and wear them around your neck. That way you can use them if you fall in. You should also take a life jacket, floating safety rope, and a whistle to alert others if you need help. More ice fishing safety tips from the Iowa DNR are available here.

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