File photo of an OPP Marine Unit vessel. Photo via OPP East Region.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated since it was originally published on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, at 4:59 p.m. Please see bottom of article for most recently updated information.
The Frontenac County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have reported a fatality on Knowlton Lake in South Frontenac Township.
South Frontenac Fire and Rescue and members of the Frontenac OPP responded to Knowlton Lake on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, after receiving information that a boater was potentially missing. According to Constable Robert Martell, Media Relations Officer for the Frontenac OPP, a search and rescue operation began at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Knowlton Lake, which is located just north of Sydenham.
At approximately 3:15 p.m., the body of the missing boater was located by the OPP Marine Unit, Martell said. The boater was later confirmed deceased.
Knowlton Lake, outlined above in red, is located near Holleford, South Frontenac Township, just north of Sydenham. Graphic via Google Maps.
Police could not release any further details at time of publication, pending notification of next of kin. The investigation remains ongoing in the area, and residents are asked to avoid the area if possible while police carry out the rest of the on-scene investigation.
Update (Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, 11:20 a.m.):
A deceased boater was located on Knowlton Lake after an “extensive investigation and search” by members of the Frontenac OPP detachment, police stated in a media release on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
“Frontenac detachment (OPP) officers responded to the Knowlton Lake boat launch, on September 04, 2024, just after 1:45 p.m., when residents reported an empty boat drifting across the lake. Local residents, in their boats, also located articles of clothing floating in the water and a vehicle parked at the boat launch,” police said.
“An investigation determined that the owner of the boat was missing on Knowlton Lake, after attempting to launch the vessel. Frontenac members were assisted by the Marine Unit (OPP) and the South Frontenac Fire and Rescue service to conduct a search of the lake for a male party, aged 80 years old, from Napanee.”
According to the release, the Marine Unit (OPP) officers located the male in the water a short distance from the boat launch, just after 3 pm, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation is continuing with the assistance of the Coroners Office of Ontario.
In response to Kingstonist inquiries, Constable Rob Martell, Media Relations Officer for the Frontenac OPP, said that police will not be releasing the identity of the deceased. He further shared that the vehicle the boater had been driving to launch his boat remained at the Knowlton Lake boat launch when police arrived on scene. The front, driver’s side door of the vehicle was open, and its engine was still running, Martell said, noting those factors indicated to police that something wasn’t right. Asked how the man ended up in the water, Martell said that the details of the man’s death are not known at this time as the investigation continues with the assistance of the coroner, however, police were able to find security footage nearby, which showed the man entering the water after the boat began to float away from the boat launch and swimming after the vessel attempting to grab it.
The next of kin of the deceased have been notified, Martell said.
Police said the unattended boat was recovered from the lake by officers.
