An excursion to a frozen pond almost turned to disaster when a man fell through the ice and rescuer after rescuer also ended up in the freezing water.
The drama, on a frozen pond in Wrightwood California, was caught on video. One person after another tried to save the man only to slip on the ice themselves. Two more would-be rescuers end up falling through the thin ice. A crowd gathered on shore, frantically screaming for help. At one stage 12 people were in the water. Mickey Herman, who shot the video, said it was "total panic and chaos" as people screamed out for ropes and inner tubes to help the those in the water.