Three dead in separate drownings on Friday in Manitoba: RCMP

WINNIPEG -

Manitoba RCMP say three people are dead after three separate drownings late last week.

Mounties said a 39-year-old man was on the shore of the Whitemouth River at the Elma Bridge crossing with his family on Friday, June 4, when he slipped on the rocks and fell into the river.

"Attempts were made to help the male out of the water, and a bystander was able to get a canoe in the water to assist," RCMP said in a news release, adding the bystander was able to get the man to shore.

Lac du Bonnet RCMP were called to the area around 3:30 p.m. When officers arrived, Mounties said they saw CPR being done on the man.

He was pronounced dead on the scene.

The second drowning happened later that evening at the Portage Diversion on Lake Manitoba.

RCMP said a 17-year-old boy had been swimming with friends when he slipped off a sand bar into deeper water. Mounties said the boy was pulled east of the diversion and went under the water.

"His friends were able to get him to shore and a bystander began CPR until EMS arrived," RCMP said in a release.

RCMP said officers received the report around 7:10 p.m. on June 4. When they arrived, RCMP said EMS was giving medical care to the boy who was unconscious. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

The third drowning happened at Reynolds Pond near Richer, Man., on June 4.

RCMP said a 24-year-old Steinbach man was trying to swim out to a small island about 100 yards (approximately 91 metres) from shore. On the way to the island, RCMP said the man decided to turn around, but went under the water on the way back.

Mounties said one of the man's friends got to the area to try to help, but the man did not come back up. Boaters who were in the area started searching for the man.

RCMP was called around 7 p.m., and when officers arrived they too started searching, but did not find the man.

On Saturday, the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team, an RCMP underwater Remote Operated Vehicle, and the man's friends went back to Reynolds Pond. The man was found dead.