Three people have died on the water so far this summer, including a three-year-old child who drowned at Sandbanks July 24. 

Two others drowned on East Lake in separate incidents July 19 and 20.

11 people have drowned in Ontario’s East Region so far this year. That’s more than twice the number at this time last summer.

The sudden increase in drowning fatalities in Eastern Ontario caused East Region Commander, Chief Lisa Wilhelm, to issue a statement July 22, reminding that capsizing and falling overboard are the two leading causes of death in boating incidents. 

Wearing a life jacket can mean the difference between life and death.

Not one of this summer’s 11 dead was wearing a life jacket.

“This is about education and changing the mindset to ensure everyone wears the proper gear, whether in a power boat or in a canoe,” Commander Wilhelm said. “This is about coming home safely and ensuring that everyone, adults and children, is safe on or near the water.”

A spate of calls for emergency services started Wednesday, July 16. A float plane made a hard landing in the Flake’s Cove area. Thankfully, the pilot and sole passenger were able to avoid serious injury. They escaped the craft and waited for first responders on the wing.

Pressed Into Service

On Saturday 19 July just before 6 p.m., Prince Edward OPP and Prince Edward County Fire and Rescue responded to a 51-year-old swimmer who dove in the water and didn’t resurface. First responders, Hastings-Quinte Paramedics, and civilians attempted life-saving measures at shore. The individual was rushed to Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

On Sunday 20 July just before 6 p.m., officers were called to County Road 11. A group of four paddlers had been out in two canoes on East Lake. The parties chose to go swimming and were unable to get back into their canoes. One swimmer returned to shore and a bystander went out in his boat and pulled two other individuals from the water. The body of the fourth person, a 20-year-old male from Toronto, was not found until Tuesday afternoon, when it was located by the OPP’s Underwater Search and Recovery Unit.

“Both I and Council will never be able to thank the volunteers, the full timers and the professionals enough who show up when the call goes out and deal with things, with scenes you and I can’t even imagine.”

—Mayor Steve Ferguson

On Monday 21 July shortly before 3 p.m., Prince Edward County Fire and Rescue rushed to the Glendon Green Memorial Boat Launch on Outlet River, where three young people had started to drift out into East Lake on a floating device. Thankfully, citizens assisted the children to shore prior to the arrival of the fire department. Reports at the scene indicate no one was wearing a life jackets.

Around 5:30 p.m. July 24, Prince Edward OPP were called to the Dunes beach in Sandbanks Provincial Park after a child went missing while playing with family members in shallow water.

The child was located and recovered by bystanders prior to the arrival of emergency services and subsequently transported to Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital by Hastings-Quinte EMS. Despite resuscitation efforts, tragically, the child was pronounced dead.

“A life jacket or a PFD cannot help you if you aren’t wearing it,” OPP East Region Media Coordinator Bill Dickson said. “When something happens on the water, it may be too late to find one in the boat and put it on in time.”  

Proclamation

Monday marked the start of National Drowning Prevention Week in Canada. Mayor Steve Ferguson introduced a drowning prevention proclamation at the July 22 Council meeting, prefaced with  condolences on behalf of the County of Prince Edward to the families who lost loved ones on East Lake.

Mayor Ferguson said he was proud of the efforts of the Prince Edward County Fire & Rescue Crews as well as members of the Prince Edward OPP detachment who displayed great care, dedication and professionalism in all of the calls to East Lake.

“As a municipality we are so blessed to have the calibre of first responders, paramedics and police officers who are going out and responding to calls like these ones that have such tragic consequences. 

Both I and Council will never be able to thank the volunteers, the full timers and the professionals enough who show up when the call goes out and deal with things, with scenes you and I can’t even imagine.”