Four children, two men rescued in separate incidents on the water: OPP
Southern Georgian Bay OPP say the children were all wearing proper safety gear when officers responded to the call. The group had become stranded in the water and was safely brought back to shore. Officers say the incident could have ended very differently had they not been outfitted with life-jackets.
In another weekend call, two 25-year-old men from Toronto had to be rescued after drifting into open water in Tay Township. Police say the pair had been using a kayak and paddleboard, and weren't wearing life-jackets.
While they were safely brought back to land, police say the situation highlights the ongoing risk posed by those who head out onto the water unprepared, putting their lives at risk.
Marine officers patrolling local waterways over the busy Canada Day weekend conducted nearly 80 vessel checks and say one thing was clear: life jackets remain one of the most commonly forgotten pieces of safety equipment.
Six boaters were charged for failing to have enough life jackets for everyone on board, while 28 others were given warnings for various other boating-related infractions.
Police say officers also responded to 13 separate calls for service from the public.
Among those calls were several complaints about dangerous operation, including boats speeding through the channel near Picnic Island in Georgian Bay Township, personal watercraft being driven at high speeds near the beach in Tiny Township, and large wakes being created in Penetang Bay, raising safety concerns for swimmers and smaller vessels.
Despite regular public messaging and educational patrols, police say too many boaters still overlook life-jackets.
'This summer, let's always remember to put that life-jacket on before heading out for an enjoyable day on the bay,' OPP noted.
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