Man drowns in Ontario's Conestogo Lake after helping save child: OPP
A 33-year-old man drowned in Conestogo Lake near Drayton, Ont. on Sunday after helping rescue a child who fell into the water.
According to Wellington County OPP, the incident began earlier on Sunday around noon, when emergency crews were called to the conservation area in Mapleton Township for reports of a possible drowning.
Officials say it was reported a child went in the water from a boat and the victim jumped in the water and attempted to assist the child.
Witnesses were able to pull the child safely from the water, however, the victim did not resurface.
Ornge Air Ambulance was initially called in and then later called off. The OPP helicopter arrived around 5 p.m. to help with the search.
Other boaters also reportedly helped to search for him when they realized what happened.
Police say where the incident happened is not a part of the conservation area.
Wellington County OPP tweeted that its Underwater Search and Recovery Unit found the body of the missing man around 8:45 p.m.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Monday, officials identified the victim as Mapleton Township resident Matthew Reynold Ottens.
"It was absolutely devastating. There was a lot of extended family there as well as friends to support the immediate family," said Cst. Kirk MacDonald with Wellington County OPP.
A post-mortem examination has been scheduled for June 14, 2021.
"It's in hopes that it will give some answers, not just to investigators, but to family members as well as to what happened," MacDonald said.
Police have not confirmed whether the man was wearing a life jacket when he went missing.
OPP say they are offering their condolences to the man's family and friends.
"It hits a community, a small community, quite hard because as is often the case, people know each other," MacDonald said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.