(Portage, IN) - A man is missing after venturing onto shelf ice with his friends and falling into West Beach in Portage on Lake Michigan on Monday.

 

Authorities said dive teams and other rescuers tried locating the man until it became too dark and conditions too treacherous. The search will resume today.

 

Authorities said the Indianapolis man and four others went on the shelf ice and ventured about 10 feet out from the shoreline. The man fell through the ice and into the frigid water.

 

"The ice broke and he went through the ice," said Alex Neel, Conservation Officer with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. 

 

Authorities said there were high waves at the time, and the man was never seen again after falling into the choppy water.

 

The search resumed this morning on foot at the beach and along other areas of the shoreline.

 

Neel said a 29 foot boat was called for to aid in the search but use of the boat was dependent upon the conditions because of the lake still being choppy today.  There was also rain and fog this morning.