Police, experts sound alarm after another fatal drowning in Manitoba
The number of fatal drownings in Manitoba has police and experts issuing a reminder to Manitobans about how quickly fun in the water can turn tragic.
It comes following the death of a 33-year-old man this week at Pine Point Rapids in Whiteshell Provincial Park.
RCMP officers were advised the man was with a youth who wasn’t in the water. There were other people in the area and one person tried to help but couldn’t save the man who started having difficulty in the rapids.
“When he entered the deeper part of the water after the rapids, I guess it’s quite turbulent with a bit of current, he began to struggle and it sounds like he went under very quickly and didn’t resurface,” said Sgt. Paul Manaigre.
The incident, which was reported to officers at around 4 p.m. Aug. 9, occurred on the Whiteshell River where the rapids are located.
Manaigre said flows are still heavier than normal due to high water levels and the man wasn’t wearing a personal flotation device or PFD.
A bystander who jumped in the water to try and help the man couldn’t get to him in time, according to Manaigre.
On Wednesday afternoon an RCMP dive team recovered the man’s body.
“It’s a tragic incident that unfortunately he didn’t make it,” Manaigre said.
Based on police and media reports it’s the 11th fatal drowning so far in Manitoba in 2022 compared to 10 at this time last year.
The majority have occurred in natural bodies of water like lakes and rivers.
To help keep you and your kids safe, the Lifesaving Society Manitoba said you should always swim or boat with a buddy, wear a personal flotation device or life jacket when appropriate and make sure children are always actively supervised and within arms reach if they’re under seven.
“If you’re boating, if you’re doing water sport activities the life jacket needs to be on. Not just there but on,” said Christopher Love, Water Smart and safety management coordinator with the Lifesaving Society Manitoba. “And if it’s small children you can use that as an added layer of protection even if they know how to swim.”
Love said people also need to take the water conditions into consideration. Due to high water strong currents, changing topography and rocks and trees in the water can all pose risks.
“You just can’t take for granted what you may have known about a location before,” Love said. “And be aware that conditions very well may have changed or are still in the process of changing.
"One drowning death is one too many and it’s something that we always want to educate people on so that we’re preventing any future tragedies from taking place out there.”
Love said you should never swim or boat while intoxicated.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'