Latvians airlifted from drifting ice floes Rescue services spokeswoman Viktorija Sembele told AFP a total of 180 people were rescued at Vakarbulli and 43 at Majori, both towns on the Gulf of Riga, around 4:00pm (1400 GMT). No injuries were reported. But on Thursday authorities began warning of a thaw amid high winds - a combination that creates ice floes and pushes them offshore. Every year dozens of ice fishermen are rescued and a handful drown when they venture out onto ice too thin to support their weight. Temperatures in Latvia are expected to remain hovering around freezing over the Easter holiday weekend, increasing the risk for those venturing out on the ice. Rescue services are advising anyone intending to go ice fishing to have a fully-charged mobile phone kept safe in a waterproof container in case of an emergency.