A hapless swan found itself stranded in a lake after the water around it froze overnight.
Firefighters stepped in to save the day as the unlucky bird was stuck on a tiny peninsula, unable to free itself from the icy trap.
Volunteers were called to the scene yesterday (30 Nov) to rescue the frozen-out swan.
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Braving the slippery surface, firefighters carefully broke the ice around the animal to set it free.
A veterinarian on site checked the swan and confirmed it was unharmed, much to everyone’s relief, as reported by Need To Know.
The swan was then safely released back into Almsee Lake in Austria.
A spokesperson for the Volunteer Fire Department in Grünau im Almtal said, “During the night, the area around the swan froze over. Although it wasn’t frozen to the ice, it couldn’t free itself because the surface was too slippery.
“Initial rescue attempts using waders by the police and fire department were unsuccessful. We then called in a rescue boat from the Grünau Fire Department in Almtal Valley.
“Eventually, we managed to break the ice near the shore and guide the swan there.
“Once on the bank, the bird was examined by wildlife biologists and then released back into the wild.”
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