Boaters caught not having lifejackets escorted back to U.S. border by OPP

Officers from the Ontario Provincial Police stopped a boat on Sunday afternoon on the St. Lawrence River near Ivy Lea, east of Gananoque.

On board, police found four people with no lifejackets.

“Emergencies happen on the water, and lifejackets can save your life,” officials said in a post on X.

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The boat and its occupants were visiting from the U.S., so provincial officers escorted them back to the border where agents assisted from there. The people needed to purchase the proper equipment before going back on the water.

They were issued $610 in fines.

“You are required by law to have a lifejacket or PFD (personal flotation device) on board for each person on a watercraft, including human-powered crafts,” police said.