Three paddleboarders and two men hanging onto an overturned canoe were pulled from the water at the Deschenes Rapids in the Ottawa River, the latest rescues in the area in Ottawa’s west end. The Ottawa Fire Services received a 9-1-1 call shortly before 6 p.m. Sunday, reporting a paddleboarder stuck in the rapids. Officials said when the Water Rescue Team arrived on the scene, they confirmed the individual had made it to shore safely. “Water Rescue crews noticed three paddleboarders in the rapids without lifejackets requiring assistance,” Ottawa fire said. The Water Rescue Team launched at the scene and rescued the three people within minutes. On Monday afternoon, water rescue crews pulled two men from the water after their canoe overturned in the same area along the Ottawa River. The Ottawa Fire Services say they received multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting the incident at approximately 1:39 p.m. Fire crews found three people in the water at the scene. Only two wearing personal flotation devices, Ottawa fire says. An Ottawa Paramedics Service spokesperson says one man in his 60s was assessed and transported to hospital in stable condition. Another man in his 70s remained on scene. A woman on a paddleboard who witnessed the incident was able to assist one of the men onto her board before rescue services arrived. She was assessed by paramedics but remained on scene. Ottawa fire says everyone was rescued from the water within five minutes of each other by approximately 2:03 p.m. Last week, water rescue teams pulled two people in distress and a pair of rafters from the water. Officials said that, in one case, there were reports of a yellow rubber raft getting stuck in the rapids. “The Deschenes Rapids continue to be the most common location for water rescue calls in our city,” Ottawa Fire Services spokesperson Nick Defazio said last week. “We urge all residents to be aware of the hazards in this area and to exercise extreme caution when on or near the water.” With files from CTV News Ottawa’s William Eltherington and Dave Charbonneau
