An almost 12-hour seek for a lacking canoeist in St. Thomas has ended tragically.
The physique of 26-year outdated Ryan Davies of Port Stanley, Ont. was recovered by on the backside of the man-made lake by the OPP Underwater Search and Rescue Unit (USRU) Monday night.
Monday morning, St.Thomas Hearth Search and Rescue began a search of Lake Margaret round 7:30 a.m.
“Crews got a call that a canoe had capsized in Lake Margaret,” stated Kim Destun, chief hearth prevention officer for the St. Thomas Hearth Division. “There were three people in the canoe. Two of them were able to self-rescue and get out and the other one is currently missing.”
The 2 different people have been taken to hospital however are going to be “OK,” in line with St. Thomas Hearth Chief Dave Gregory.
Lacking boaterSearch crews took turns within the water for a few hours earlier than assist arrived.
St Thomas Hearth Rescue is looking out Lake Margaret for a lacking boater on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. (Brent Lale/ Ontario Chronicle London) Round 10:30 a.m., Derek Niles of Orange Pressure Marine Ltd. introduced sonar and underwater tools.
“We’re working with the St. Thomas Fire Department to be able to locate,” stated Niles. “We’re using all tools and all available means to try to find our missing man.”
Niles makes use of a laptop computer in a zodiac boat pushed by firefighters.
“It sends a sound signal out and reverberates off strong objects like logs or stuff like that,” stated Niles. “We’re watching for a strong echo. Lake Margaret has lots of weeds, logs, partial trees, all kinds of different stuff that’s down there. We’re getting lots of returns that, that are coming back, so we vector in, teams to go over and investigate those returns.”
A canoe capsized in Lake Margaret in St. Thomas, Ont., on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. (Brent Lale/ Ontario Chronicle London) They particularly targeted on an space within the lake close to the place the canoe capsized, and in a spot the place they discovered a bag and a pair of fishing poles within the water.
Round 3:30 p.m., the OPP USRU workforce arrived from Gravenhurst, Ont. to assist within the search.
Derek Niles (left) of Orange Pressure Marine Ltd. will get course from Performing Captain, Kent Fuller, of the St Thomas Hearth Dept. whereas trying to find a lacking physique in Lake Margaret in St Thomas. (Brent Lale/CTV London)
After a two-hour search, at 6:40 p.m., Davie’s physique was pulled from the water.
“Tragic day in our community for sure,” stated Samantha Wakefield of the St. Thomas Police Service. “With the assistance of the OPP Underwater Search and Rescue Unit, the St. Thomas Police Service located and recovered our missing person.”
Sufferer Companies have been with the Davies’ household all through the day and after the physique was recovered.
Derek Niles of Orange Pressure Marine Ltd. Rides with hearth fighters as they search Lake Margaret for a lacking boater in St. Thomas, Ont., on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. (Supply: Brent Lale/CTV London)