(Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS) Several police officers and firefighters work together to pull the canoe containing a teen who fell through the ice and his two civilian rescuers to the shore of Honey Pot Pond Monday.

A tense water-rescue operation that began when two people happened to see a teenage skater plunge into the icy waters of Honey Pot Pond Monday evening eventually came to a successful conclusion.

The witnesses grabbed a nearby canoe and began making their way out to the teen, who apparently hit a thin spot in the ice, which are quite common in the region at present due to the lack of extended cold snaps, the only exception being the recent brief period of sub-freezing temperatures that did little to thicken ice to a safe level.

Daylight was waning Monday evening when Amherst fire, police and emergency medical personnel were called at about 4:20 p.m. to a report of a skater through the ice on the pond, which is near the intersection of Boston Post and Cross roads just south of Souhegan High School and Amherst Middle School.

Crews set up on the Cross Road side on the pond, and while doing so called for additional emergency personnel.

As rescue divers donned their suits and prepared equipment, the civilians reached the teen and with some effort were able to pull him into the canoe.

(Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS) An Amherst Fire Department diver crawls along the Honey Pot Pond ice toward a canoe where two people and the teen they rescued waited.

However, due to the large sections of ice floating around the canoe, the civilians and the rescued teen were unable get through and make it to shore.

By then, fire department divers had reached the shore and had begun the process of setting up specialized water rescue ropes, securing them to nearby tree trunks, a small dock and other immovable objects.

Divers, tethered by ropes to the shore, began making their way out to the canoe.

They struggled, as ice continually broke around them as they went. They eventually reached the canoe, attached ropes to it and gave the signal to crews on shore to begin pulling it in.

It was slow going due to the sheets of ice surrounding the canoe, but about 30 minutes later it reached shore.

(Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS) Amherst rescue divers, tethered to ropes, make their way out to the canoe in the background, where two civilians and the teen they pulled from the frigid water wait for them.

EMS personnel immediately began treating the teen for cold exposure and brought him to a waiting ambulance.

The two civilian rescuers didn’t require medical treatment.

As they prepared to clear the scene, first responders talked about how lucky the teenager was that the two people saw him go through the ice and were there to rescue him from the frigid water, which could have quickly rendered him unconscious.

The incident prompted officials to remind the public to make sure ice on ponds and lakes is thick enough to walk or skate on.

Telegraph contributor Jeffrey Hastings provided reporting for this story.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.