At least 10 deer that had wandered out onto thin ice in Wareham Harbor drowned on Sunday.

According to Wareham Fire Captain Matt Rowley, emergency personnel responded to a call at approximately 11:20 a.m. that several deer had fallen through the ice off of Long Beach in Wareham.

Rowley said that when the initial crew responded, another group of deer came out onto the ice as well. A post to the Wareham Harbormaster Department's Facebook page said the second group of deer were scared onto the ice by people walking with a dog.

"I believe all 10 perished,” said Rowley, who noted that airboats from the Onset Fire Department and the Middleborough Fire Department were used in the rescue attempt.

Rowley said conditions out on the water "made it extremely hard" for emergency personnel "to try to get out there safely.”

Crews were seen working from the Tempest Knob boat ramp, Swifts Beach, and off of Long Beach Road.

Members of the Wareham Fire Department, the Onset Fire Department, the Wareham Harbormaster Department, the Wareham Police Department, Wareham EMS, and the Middleborough Fire Department took part in the rescue.