Man dead after watercraft collision on St. Lawrence River

21-year-old man dead after watercraft crash Ontario Provincial Police is investigating after a man died in a watercraft collision on the St. Lawrence River. CTV's Jack Richardson.

Ontario Provincial Police say a man has died after striking an obstacle on the St. Lawrence River while driving a personal watercraft.

Police say officers and paramedics responded to reports of the crash just before 6 a.m. on Sunday.

Investigators say the crash happened among a group of small islands between Kingston and Brockville, just west of the Thousand Islands Bridge between the mainland and Hill Island.

The single personal watercraft had two people aboard. A passenger on the vehicle was able to swim to shore to get help.

A group in a boat searched the area and found the male driver in the water with no vital signs.

The 21-year-old man was pronounced dead when he was brought to shore. His identity will not be released, police say.

The investigation remains in its early stages.

One resident told CTV News its a part of the water where many ride watercrafts at high speeds.

"I'm surprised that hasn't happened more often," said nearby resident Mike Joyce.

"We're at a point, here especially, where it's nothing to see jet skis going by at 40, 50 miles per hour and they almost don't know where they're going. So the fact that somebody is out in the middle of the night on a jet ski going at that speed doesn't surprise me."

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to contact Leeds County OPP.

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Jack Richardson