A 14-year-old Toronto boy has died after he disappeared under water at Ashbridges Bay, police said.
Police recovered the teenager’s body on Monday morning, acting duty inspector Dan Parvica said at a news conference on Monday.
The boy was swimming at Ashbridges Bay with his friend on Sunday, Parvica said, when they both struggled to get out of the water.
His friend got out of the water safely and alerted others nearby, police said. A man who was walking by with his wife jumped in the water to help rescue the boy but was unsuccessful, he said.
Emergency services were initially called to the east-end bay around 6 p.m. Sunday, with the search for the boy beginning Sunday evening. His body was recovered around 9 a.m. on Monday, Parvica said.
He said there is a “steep drop-off” in the area where the boy had been swimming, though it is unclear what exactly caused his distress.
Death a ‘sombre reminder’ about water safety: police
As summer approaches, police said the teenager’s death is a “sombre reminder” of the importance of water safety.
Although temperatures are getting warmer, the water remains cold for most of the year, Parvica said.
“Lake Ontario’s a very big body of water,” he said. “The temperature is a lot colder here than in a smaller lake or a swimming pool.”
The boy was found near where he was last seen going under water. He was not wearing a life jacket, Parvica said.