Around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received several 911 calls about a collision between two motorboats on Muskoka’s Lake Rosseau near Windermere Marina.
During the calls, witnesses told police that they could see several people in the water after the collision.
Officers from the Bracebridge OPP detachment responded to the call, along with Muskoka EMS, Muskoka Lakes Fire Department, the OPP Marine Unit, the OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit (USRU), and the OPP Aviation Unit.
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Between the two boats, six people were involved in the collision. A 13-year-old from Toronto was declared dead on scene, and the body of a 51-year-old woman from Oakville was recovered by OPP divers.
OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit and Marine Unit searched throughout the day and at 4:00 p.m. recovered the body of a 51 year-old Oakville woman who was unaccounted for after a boating collision last night. Please stay safe and vigilant on the water. #BbrOPP ^sb pic.twitter.com/0TK9yxZXfK
— OPP Central Region (@OPP_CR) July 15, 2021
The four other passengers were rushed to hospital with severe injuries. Three of them have since been released from hospital, but the fourth passenger was airlifted to Toronto and is now being treated for life-threatening injuries.
Search efforts continuing on Lake Rosseau for 51 yr old Oakville woman after a two vessel collision last night that claimed the life of a 13 yr old Toronto youth. Please stay vigilant and safe on the water. #BbrOPP ^gp/sb pic.twitter.com/M5Hb2mLj4T
— OPP Central Region (@OPP_CR) July 15, 2021
According to Bracebridge OPP Constable Samantha Bigley, search efforts for the 51-year-old woman went on until late Wednesday evening and then resumed again Thursday.
“Two boats collided, but what led up to that or how they came into contact with each other is all part of the investigation, so we don’t know those details yet,” said Bigley.
Distracted boating is equally as dangerous as distracted driving. Be a safe and responsible boater and #ThinkBeforeYouSink #OPPMarine@OPP_CR pic.twitter.com/1VqbNd44Ag
— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) July 15, 2021
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