Preteen boy dead after being struck by malfunctioning payloader on farm near Bow Island

An 11-year-old boy has died in hospital following a mishap on a southern Alberta farm.

Shortly after 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, emergency crews responded to a farm northwest of the town of Bow Island after two young men who were laying concrete were struck by a payloader.

RCMP officials say a 47-year-old man was operating the payloader when a mechanical issue occurred that disrupted the braking and steering of the machine.

“The loader took a sharp turn and struck two youths; an 11-year-old male and a 17-year-old male,” said RCMP Staff Sergeant. “The 11-year-old male was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead shortly after arrival.”

The teenager did not suffer serious injuries.

Bow Island’s mayor, Gordon Reynolds, took to Twitter late Wednesday morning to offer support to the families.

The Town of Bow Island and the Prairie Rose School Division provided counselling for community residents on Wednesday.

Occupational Health and Safety and RCMP officials continue to investigate the fatal incident but RCMP consider the boy’s death a tragic accident..

According to the Alberta Farm Safety Centre, being run over by machinery is the most common cause of farm related fatalities in Alberta.

The community of Bow Island is situated approximately 55 kilometres southwest of Medicine Hat along Highway 3.

With files from CTV’s Dalton Finkbeiner