A 23-year-old man drowns at Trout Lake, La Pêche

Drazen Seslija

A 23-year-old man from Welland, Ontario, died after a canoe capsized on Lac à la Truite in the municipality of La Pêche on Friday, October 16.

According to information provided by the municipality, a 911 call was received at 3:08 p.m. reporting a person missing after the boat capsized about 20 meters from a cottage.

Four people were aboard the canoe at the time of the incident. None of them were wearing life jackets. Three of the canoe’s occupants managed to make it back to shore, while the fourth man, aged 23, was unable to do so.

Police officers at the scene quickly spotted the body in the water. One of them attempted to retrieve the body by diving into the lake but was unsuccessful. Firefighters from the municipality of La Pêche finally managed to pull the man from the water around 4 p.m.

CPR was administered immediately. Despite their efforts, the victim was pronounced dead at the Wakefield Regional Health Center.

According to information provided by the municipality, the investigation revealed no evidence of criminal activity. A coroner has also been assigned to the case to examine the circumstances of the death.

This tragedy serves as a reminder of the risks associated with water activities, particularly when those on board a boat is not wearing flotation devices. Wearing a properly fitted life jacket can help prevent drowning, even when those on board know how to swim.

At the time of this writing, the municipality of La Pêche has not released any further details regarding the circumstances leading to the capsizing.