Body of missing swimmer recovered in Port Burwell, Ont.
Provincial police have recovered the body of a swimmer who went missing in Lake Erie Sunday afternoon.
Family members confirm Randy Lavigne as the man who saved his 13-year-old daughter in distress before going under the water and failing to resurface.
Lavigne, 35, a Woodstock native and Toyota employee, is being hailed as a hero who lost his life.
Lavigne and his daughter were swimming Sunday when they started to struggle.
Samaritans say the current and rough waters pulled them out too far.
'The young girl and her dad were swimming and having a good time, then happened to get out too far,' Brittany Chessell told CTV News via email.
Chessell and her friend Melissa were the first to respond to the swimmers in distress.
'The father got dragged out further than the daughter. The daughter told her dad she was getting tired and struggling. He tried to get back to her, eventually being able to reach her he was so tired he took one last breath and pushed his daughter with a wave in hopes it would bring her in closer to shore. He unfortunately went under after his last breath and did not resurface.'
The search for his body lasted nearly 24 hours before he was recovered.
'We just like to take this opportunity to say thank you, those good Samaritans,' said Sgt. Ed Sanchuk of West Region OPP. 'I'd also like to take this opportunity to send all my sincere condolences to all family members and friends that are affected by this tragedy.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
34 minutes ago
- CTV News
A Sudbury man forced to shoot his dog injured by a vehicle, then shoots at vehicle
A Sudbury man who shot his badly injured dog also shot at the vehicle that struck his canine, leading to criminal charges from police. A 36-year-old man from Hanmer has been charged with weapons offences after an incident Thursday evening that began with a dog being hit and seriously injured by a vehicle. Greater Sudbury Police were called to a residence on Deschene Road in Hanmer around 7 p.m. 'Information provided was that a community member heard what he believed to be gunshots,' police spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn said in an email Friday to CTV News. End to the dog's suffering 'Through the investigation, it was determined that an individual had run over a dog with a motor vehicle and the owner of the dog had shot the animal to end its suffering.' The owner of the dog then shot at the now unoccupied vehicle that had struck his dog. No humans were injured in the incident, Dunn said. 'Officers arrived on scene and located the individual believed to be responsible for firing the shots,' the email said. The man was arrested and charged with careless use of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, mischief under $5,000 and breach of recognizance. He was held in police custody and attended bail court Friday in Sudbury. Sudbury police A 36-year-old man from Hanmer has been charged with weapons offences after an incident Thursday evening that began with a dog being hit and seriously injured by a vehicle. (File) 'The individuals are known to each other and there is no risk to the general public,' Dunn said. 'Officers have applied for a search warrant of the residence in relation to the firearm.'
CTV News
36 minutes ago
- CTV News
1 dead in Friday night crash on Stoney Trail
Police vehicles at Calgary Police Service headquarters in Calgary on Thursday, April 9, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh) An investigation is underway following a collision Friday night that left one person dead on Stoney Trail. Around 9:55 p.m., police say they responded to reports of a single vehicle collision on Stoney Trail at 69 Street S.W. One person was declared dead on scene and the vehicle was on fire. Stoney Trail was closed in the area for a number of hours as the traffic unit investigated, but in an update posted at 5:49 a.m., they said Stoney is now open for regular traffic.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
19-year-old dies after shooting in Montréal-Nord
A 19-year-old who was shot in the borough of Montréal-Nord on Friday night has died. The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) says it is the 18th homicide on Montreal police territory since the start of 2025. The incident is being investigated by the SPVM's major crimes unit. Police received a call around 9:15 p.m. on Friday about a person who was injured by at least one bullet at the intersection of Maurice-Duplessis Boulevard and Matte Avenue. They found the victim on the ground at the scene, SPVM spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils said. The young man was injured in the upper body and was in critical condition when he was taken to hospital, where he succumbed to injuries overnight. According to preliminary information, someone fired a gun in the victim's direction while he was in a vehicle, then ran away before police arrived. Police set up a security perimeter at the scene for investigators and met with witnesses. As of Saturday morning, police have not arrested anyone, Chèvrefils said.
