Saint88
Administrator
- 注册
- 2004-05-08
- 消息
- 18,274
- 荣誉分数
- 284
- 声望点数
- 263
http://www.ottawasun.com/news/ottawa/2010/05/24/14061306.html
A city councillor is calling for safety changes at Petrie Island after a man drowned Monday afternoon.
Emergency workers say a “treacherous” dropoff in the Ottawa River near the island played a role in the death of the 24-year-old man, whose identity was not released.
Police said the man was swimming off the point of the east side of the public beach shortly after noon when the accident occurred. Lifeguards don’t go on duty at the beach until next month.
Orleans Coun. Bob Monette said he’s drafting a letter in the wake of the drowning to try and get some things changed at Petrie Island.
Because of the warm weather, he said the buoys and floating ropes should be in the water sooner than usual. He also wants to see if some lifeguards can be hired ahead of schedule.
He also will look into putting up a sign about the dropoff.
“Obviously, it’s certainly unfortunate and I really feel for the family,” Monette said.
“With the next two days getting warmer people will be looking to cool off. Cost is not a factor as far as I’m concerned. The city might want to look at these things.”
Monette said he wasn’t aware the water is that deep so close to the beach but isn’t surprised because sand was dredged from there in a quarry operation for decades.
Firefighters said the man was only about 50 metres from shore, but beyond a dramatic six-metre dropoff.
The man was swimming with two women and two children.
It’s not known if the victim was a friend of the witnesses, who left after emergency officials arrived.
They were brought back four hours later to show police divers where the man was last seen. One of them was a child.
Ottawa firefighters searched the area in boats for several hours before police divers arrived. The divers went into the water at 4:30 p.m. and recovered the body about 20 minutes later.
Police were able to contact the man’s family.
“The bottom of the river is really treacherous there,” said firefighter Bruce Raymond. “There are rocks and holes and the visibility is poor. It’s very dangerous.”
Despite this observation, no signs are posted on the beach about the dropoff.
When a lifeguard is on duty, the area where the drowning happened is outside the swimming area, marked with floating rope and buoys.
Sunbather Nick Charette said he saw the witnesses call 911. He said there should be signs on the beach about the deep water.
“I never saw anyone swimming,” he said. “And I would never swim here.”
Another man, who didn’t want to give his name, said he regularly comes to the area to photograph birds and saw the victim and four others on the point, but didn’t see him go under.
Police are continuing to investigate.
A city councillor is calling for safety changes at Petrie Island after a man drowned Monday afternoon.
Emergency workers say a “treacherous” dropoff in the Ottawa River near the island played a role in the death of the 24-year-old man, whose identity was not released.
Police said the man was swimming off the point of the east side of the public beach shortly after noon when the accident occurred. Lifeguards don’t go on duty at the beach until next month.
Orleans Coun. Bob Monette said he’s drafting a letter in the wake of the drowning to try and get some things changed at Petrie Island.
Because of the warm weather, he said the buoys and floating ropes should be in the water sooner than usual. He also wants to see if some lifeguards can be hired ahead of schedule.
He also will look into putting up a sign about the dropoff.
“Obviously, it’s certainly unfortunate and I really feel for the family,” Monette said.
“With the next two days getting warmer people will be looking to cool off. Cost is not a factor as far as I’m concerned. The city might want to look at these things.”
Monette said he wasn’t aware the water is that deep so close to the beach but isn’t surprised because sand was dredged from there in a quarry operation for decades.
Firefighters said the man was only about 50 metres from shore, but beyond a dramatic six-metre dropoff.
The man was swimming with two women and two children.
It’s not known if the victim was a friend of the witnesses, who left after emergency officials arrived.
They were brought back four hours later to show police divers where the man was last seen. One of them was a child.
Ottawa firefighters searched the area in boats for several hours before police divers arrived. The divers went into the water at 4:30 p.m. and recovered the body about 20 minutes later.
Police were able to contact the man’s family.
“The bottom of the river is really treacherous there,” said firefighter Bruce Raymond. “There are rocks and holes and the visibility is poor. It’s very dangerous.”
Despite this observation, no signs are posted on the beach about the dropoff.
When a lifeguard is on duty, the area where the drowning happened is outside the swimming area, marked with floating rope and buoys.
Sunbather Nick Charette said he saw the witnesses call 911. He said there should be signs on the beach about the deep water.
“I never saw anyone swimming,” he said. “And I would never swim here.”
Another man, who didn’t want to give his name, said he regularly comes to the area to photograph birds and saw the victim and four others on the point, but didn’t see him go under.
Police are continuing to investigate.
