Quyon man drowns trying to save a woman in distress 

Sophie Demers

On July 27 around 5:30 pm, Daniel Desjardins, a 53-year-old man from Aylmer, jumped from a pontoon boat into the Ottawa River near Quyon and Mohr Island to rescue his girlfriend in distress. He was not wearing a lifejacket and sank beneath the surface. 

The woman was rescued by others at the scene.

Boaters and firefighters from Pontiac and Ontario quickly began an intensive search that continued overnight, but the victim was not located. After another long search, the man’s body was located on July 29 at approximately 12:45 pm. The Service de police de la MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais stated that it took emergency responders an hour to bring the body to shore. His death was then confirmed.

A coroner’s investigation is underway to determine the exact cause and circumstance of the drowning. Police state that, based on known facts, Desjardins’ death was most likely accidental.