A man has died and a child was sent to CHEO after being pulled from the Ottawa River near Westboro Beach Wednesday afternoon.
Ottawa Police said on X at 2:43 p.m. that an “active water incident” was in progress.
Paramedic crews later said a man was pronounced dead at the scene. His son, who was rescued by a member of the public, was transported to hospital and is listed in stable condition.
The 27-year-old rescuer was also sent to hospital as a precaution and is in stable condition.
On Facebook Amanda Laflair, the wife of the deceased, thanked the “guardian angels” who saved her son.
“Thank you to whoever witnessed the tragic drowning of my son and husband and who helped get my son to safety today. Thank you to CHEO, the doctors, nurses and social workers. Thank you to Ottawa Police and Paramedics,” wrote Laflair. “I’m not ok, my kids are not ok, but I’m so very grateful my son is alive he is healthy.”
Police said at this time they are not sure where the swimmers entered the water. They were found in a part of the Ottawa River near a bike path which is not meant for swimming.
A busy season for water rescues
It has been a busy summer on the waters for first responders who have had to rescue multiple people from the Ottawa River. On June 24, six people were rescued in a single day.
Many of the incidents have occurred at the Deschênes Rapids near Britannia Beach, where there have been many injures and fatalities in recent years.
In a press release, Ottawa Police urged residents to stay safe around large bodies of water.
“Water is unpredictable, we encourage everyone to stay vigilant and practice water safety measures, such as supervising children closely, wearing life jackets where appropriate, and swimming in designated areas,” said police.
The City of Ottawa says young people should always be supervised by an adult who is able to swim, has access to call 911 in the event of an emergency, can find safety equipment, and knows basic water rescue such as first aid and CPR.
A full list of water safety tips can be found here.