Quebec police search lake, shoreline for missing boater in his 20s

WATERLOO, Que. - Quebec provincial police divers are searching for the body of a man in his 20s in Lac Waterloo after a pedal boat accident.

Around 5 a.m., Saturday, Quebec provincial police received a call for a man whose boat began to take on water.

Police say the victim, who didn't know how to swim and wasn't wearing a life-jacket, was alone on the boat when it began to sink.

A witness on a nearby dock attempted to swim to the man to help him. He returned to shore and called 911.

Firefighters began searching the water and officers were searching the shoreline in the small community about 90 kilometres east of Montreal.

Quebec is leading the way in the country in terms of drownings this year, with 55 reports of deaths, compared to 37 at the same time last year, according to preliminary stats from the Lifesaving Society Quebec branch.

The province had a total of 58 drownings for all of 2019.

Raynald Hawkins of the Quebec branch says more Quebecers have stayed home this year due to COVID-19 and with a series of heat waves, they are looking for water to cool off.

Hawkins notes that there are plenty of newcomers to water sports engaging in paddle sports, using personal watercraft and swimming in residential swimming pools.

He says wearing a life-jacket when taking part in certain water activities would cut the number of deaths.

The society also suggests appointing an adult as the designated lifeguard, much like a designated driver for those going to a bar.

A study of coroners' reports found that 87 per cent of child drownings took place due to a lack of direct supervision or in situations where the person assigned to keep watch was distracted.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2020.