The number of marine fatalities in Eastern Ontario so far this summer is more than double the
drowning deaths
figure from this time last year.
It’s National Drowning Prevention Week, and on Tuesday the OPP sent a message to the public, urging everyone to wear a life-jacket when on the water.
“Life jackets can save lives, but only if you wear them,” the OPP said in a news release. “Capsizing or falling overboard are the two leading causes of death in boating incidents, and wearing a life jacket can mean the difference between life and death.”
The OPP said they had responded to 10 Eastern Ontario marine fatalities this summer, and that in each incident the victim had not been wearing a life-jacket. They did not specify how many drowning deaths there had been at this time last year.
“This is about education and changing the mindset to ensure everyone wears the proper gear, whether in a power boat or in a canoe,” said Chief Superintendent Lisa Wilhelm, OPP East Region commander. “This is about coming home safely and ensuring that everyone, adults and children, are safe on or near the water.”
In the past few days alone, three people have drowned in the region.
Two separate drownings occurred in East Lake
in Prince Edward County over the weekend.
On July 20, just before 6 p.m., OPP officers were called to a location along County Road 11, also on East Lake. A group of individuals had been out canoeing and decided to go swimming, but were unable to get back into their canoes. One person swam back to shore, while two other individuals were rescued by a bystander who had gone out in his boat to pull them out of the water. However, a fourth individual could not be located.
The person had initially been listed as missing, but in an update Tuesday police said the body of the 20-year-old man from the Toronto area had been recovered.
On July 19, OPP officers were called to a resort on County Road 18 near Sandbanks Provincial Park, where it was reported an individual had drowned just before 6 p.m. The victim was identified as a 51-year-old man from Toronto. Police did not provide details about what the man had been doing at the time he drowned.
On the night of July 19,
a 20-year-old Nepean man drowned
in a boating incident in the St. Lawrence River near Gananoque. The Leeds County OPP said officers were called at about 6:30 p.m. after a person fell from a “stationary boat.”
“Parents or caregivers should stay within arms’ reach of young children, swim where the lifeguards are and (know) the importance of not swimming or boating alone, the OPP stated in a social media post at the start of National Drowning Prevention Week. “Always wear a lifejacket while in a boat and remember — don’t drink and swim, and don’t drink and drive a boat.
“Let’s all work to ensure the rest of the swimming and boating season is safe for everyone.”
— With files from Sadeen Mohsen
