The Ontario Provincial Police say they have already investigated three boating fatalities this spring, with the same contributing factors being reported as in previous years.
Two of the three fatal incidents involved capsized canoes. During the third mishap, the vessel sank. Alcohol/drug consumption was involved in two of the incidents. Only one of the three deceased was wearing a life jacket or personal floatation device (PFD) at the time.
Police say these details are all too common in OPP-investigated boating incidents from year to year.
In 2016, 16 vessel operators and 7 passengers were killed in 19 boating incidents on OPP-patrolled waterways. Alcohol consumption was a factor in 6 if these incidents according to police.
Few victims were found to be wearing a life jacket – a statistic that has not changed from year to year. The exception was in 2015 when — for the first time in more than ten years — all 18 of the deceased were recovered without life jackets.
The OPP marine unit will be patrolling area waterways all summer.
