LORAIN, Ohio -- The Coast Guard rescued a black swan that was stuck in the ice in the Black River on Sunday.

The swan's leg and wing were frozen into the ice near the Black River Railroad Bridge.

The bridge operator notified the Coast Guard. Four station personnel trained in ice rescue entered the water and broke through the 1.5 inch thick ice with their hands to free the black swan.

The freed swan limped to the shoreline, where it was recovered by station personnel and wrapped in a blanket to keep warm. They transported the injured swan to the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay Village for care.

"The guardian ethos is the essence of today's Coast Guard. Our core values remain focused on saving lives and protecting both people and the environment," said Chief Seth Tomas, officer-in-charge of Station Lorain. "My crew responded because their commitment to being 'guardians' would not allow them to sit idle while this swan froze to death in the ice."

Station Lorain is one of several Coast Guard units in the Ninth District with members that are trained in ice rescue procedures to provide assistance to those in need, whether human or animal.