Burlington man drowns in Lake Erie
Posted August 19, 2010 9:08 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BURLINGTON, Ont. – The number of water deaths in Ontario continues to rise after a drowning and near-drowning on Lake Erie in the Niagara region on Thursday.
Fire officials confirmed a 53 year old Burlington man drowned while swimming with his 15 year old daughter at Sherkston Shores just before 6 p.m.
“They were out in the area. (It was) somewhat treacherous,” Port Colborne fire chief Tom Cartwright told 680News, “I guess they got tired because of the waves. The daughter started back and when she got in closer to shore, she looked back and her dad had gone, disappeared under the waves.”
The man’s body was recovered by emergency crews at approximately 7 p.m.
Cartwright said Lake Erie can be dangerous, although it appears shallow.
“We’ve got waves here that at times probably are four to five feet in height, and […] with the wave action, you got a significant undertow, and there’s an area that drops off.”
However, he added that the deep area is clearly marked.
Meanwhile, a 17 year old girl is recovering in hospital after being pulled from the water by two bystanders just after 4 p.m.
She remains in stable condition.
More than 50 people have drowned in Ontario since May.
