These images show a poor duck that was rescued from a frozen river in Detroit after it became stuck on the ice with a fishing line and hook through its bill and tongue.

The incident took place at an unspecified location on the Detroit River in the US state of Michigan.

The Michigan Duck Rescue and Sanctuary (MDRS), a non-profit organisation, shared the images online and said: “Team Duck, USA and what a wonderful night it was!

“Thank you all so much for the wonderful support and the sharing of the need for rescuing a little Goldeneye boy stuck on the Detroit River by a single strand of fishing line and a hook through the nare (the little slot opening on each side of a duck’s bill used for filtering their breathing) and then through his tongue.”

Goldeneye ducks (Bucephala) are diving ducks that are typically found in the northern hemisphere, with the common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) living in North America, as well as Europe and Asia, while the Barrow’s goldeneye Bucephala islandica) and the bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) are found in North America and Iceland and North America and Mexico respectively.

The MDRS said that the duck had luckily been spotted “by God’s grace” by a man named only as Zac at approximately 4pm local time. It was reportedly stuck on the frozen ice.

The incident took approximately three hours to resolve and ended with the duck being successfully rescued. The MDRS said that it created a post on its Facebook page as soon as the sighting was reported to it and, within minutes, volunteers were on the road and heading out to save the duck.

The MDRS said: “Minutes after I received the text, I did a post on our page which generated a tremendous amount of support and well over 100 shares. We cannot be more appreciative of the overwhelming support at 8 o’clock pm on a Tuesday evening.”

The MDRS said that volunteers included locals named only as Mike, Angie and Kaitlyn.

After the volunteers had met at the location, they prepared to rescue the duck. The MDRS said: “We attached the tow rope securely to the safety rail above the break wall and around Kaitlyn’s upper body. With a little hesitation on the first phase, Kaitlyn shimmied down the 6 foot wall and onto a firm piece of ice. 5 feet away where we first placed the ladder, she might’ve ended up in the drink.

The MDRS said that its task was helped by the fact that ice on the river had broken up a few days previously, with large pieces floating to shore and freezing again, completely solidifying the path on which the volunteers were working.

The MDRS explained the risks involved for Kaitlyn, saying: “Once she shimmied down onto the first pane of ice, she became a little hesitant, but who wouldn’t knowing what moved rapidly beneath in the Detroit River. I still had zero reservations about the ice failing. I’ve gone through (fallen in) enough to know at this point. If by some pure fluke she would’ve fallen through, we had between five and 600 lbs on the other end ready to pull her up quicker than a missile launching at Cape Kennedy.

“She might even think she was shot out of a cannon. The tow rope had at least a 7,000 lbs capacity, so we had no problem there. Four times the weight on the other side of the line was also no problem. Worst case, she would get her boots wet.”

The MDRS said that Kaitlyn quickly became more confident and got down on her hands and knees to spread her weight.

The MDRS said: “The ice didn’t even budge. She firmly secured the stranded angel in the comfort of her warm arms, then cut the line to freedom. She was much more confident and even quicker on her return to the ladder with all of the guys holding it steady. As she had gotten high enough, she handed me the freezing angel, and I then passed it off to Angie while Mike, Todd and Zac continued to get Kaitlyn back on solid ground.”

The MDRS added: “What an absolutely wonderful feeling knowing the baby would not die out on the ice because of a neglected fishing line left behind by a careless fisherman.”

The MDRS said that it appeared that the duck had got into that predicament “when the ice was still soft in some spots” and “he went down searching for a winter snack, and came up hooked.

“Then he ended up on top of the ice as it slowly froze together. Even though he was spotted at 4 PM, there is no doubt he had probably been out there for at least a few days at a minimum.

“You can also see where he pulled the line from the ice several feet trying to get away. Great observation Zac, and thanks for reaching out. One call can change the world, at least it did for that duck, on this day!”

The volunteers were able to remove the hook by cutting it and pulling it through the animal’s tongue.

They added that they hoped the duck “might be able to enjoy a comfortable night with relief from pain, from his constant pulling while he tried vigorously to free himself.”

The duck has reportedly been handed over to a woman called Kelley at DAWG Rescue. The duck will reportedly be rehabilitated before being released back into the wild.

The Michigan Duck Rescue and Sanctuary said that positive thoughts and prayers were very much welcome, adding that people can also make a donation to help the cause (www.michiganduckrescueandsanctuary.com/donate/): “We will keep you updated on his progress as he progresses positively! Prayers are always welcome! Needless to say, If you like our stories and what we do, please feel free to share them with your friends and continue to follow us. Our ducks truly do enjoy all of your support… As do we! And donations help in SO many different ways too!! We are always humbled by your growing support.”