Two teens rescued after being blown into bay by strong winds: Police

A Barrie police boat in Kempenfelt Bay in Barrie, Ont.

Police in Barrie rescued two teenage girls who were reportedly blown into Kempenfelt Bay by the strong winds of Thursday evening’s storm.

According to the Barrie Police Service (BPS), officers were called to the incident at around 6:30 p.m.

Police say the two young girls were not wearing lifejackets and could not swim but were able to use their phone to call 911.

At first, the girls reportedly told police that they were in an inflatable floatation device near the Centennial Beach fountain when strong wind gusts carried them nearly 100 feet from shore.

Police say they received a second call from a nearby witness who told them that the girls were in a single-person floatation device, they were blown into open water, and that they were not wearing lifejackets.

A third call was then received by the BPS, reporting that someone on a personal watercraft was helping the teens while they were in the water.

It was later confirmed by police that the girls made it safely to shore in the Tiffin Boat Launch area.

“The BPS wish to acknowledge the callers who contacted police and would like to thank the personal watercraft operator who brought the girls to shore before the storm hit,” said a BPS media officer in a news release.

Police remind those who are not strong swimmers to always wear lifejackets while in the water and to be aware of inclement weather conditions.