Boater safe after abandoning vessel sinking in Ottawa River during rain on Saturday

A pair of near-drowning incidents this weekend is prompting calls for water safety to mark Drowning Prevention Week in Canada. CTV’s Dylan Dyson reports.

Ottawa Fire Services says a boater safely made it to shore after getting caught in the rain on Saturday.

The individual was in a 14-foot aluminum boat on the Ottawa River near Morin Road and Boise Lane, in the Cumberland area, at around 4:45 p.m. when the rain hit, filling the boat with water. A passerby called 9-1-1 to report the boat was sinking.

A water rescue team found the capsized boat approximately 30 metres from the shore.

The boater was able to swim to shore, Ottawa Fire Services said. No one else was on board. Ottawa paramedics were called to the scene, but the boater was unharmed.

“This incident provides a strong reminder during National Drowning Prevention Week that weather conditions can change quickly on the water. Before heading out, always check the full weather forecast and marine conditions, and set severe weather alerts on your cellphone,” Ottawa Fire Services public information officer Nick DeFazio wrote on social media.

“If threatening weather is approaching, postpone your trip or return to shore immediately. Always wear a properly fitted personal flotation device (PFD) while on the water. It can save your life.”

Firefighters brought the boat to shore, pumped the water out of it, and returned it to its owner just before 6 p.m.

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