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LAMBTON SHORES – Ontario Provincial Police have publicly thanked a “quick-thinking civilian” for the rescue of a boater who had fallen overboard in Lake Huron.
It was just after 6 p.m. on July 26 when Lambton County OPP say officers received a call about a boater who had fallen into the water near Bluepoint, an area in Lambton Shores.
“Thanks to the quick and heroic actions of a civilian, the individual was rescued and brought to shore before emergency services arrived on-scene,” police said.
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The civilian heard the “mayday” call over marine radio, spotted the boater in distress, and took action to help pull the individual from the water and bring them to safety, police say.
Upon arrival, officers with Lambton OPP and the Anishinabek Police Services provided additional assistance and made sure the boater got the necessary medical attention, police said. The boater was uninjured.
After an investigation, a 29-year-old Sarnia resident was charged under the Canada Shipping Act for failing to have proof of competency on board a pleasure craft and operating a vessel with safety equipment that wasn’t in good working order, police said.
Ontario Provincial Police is reminding those operating vessels on the water to ensure they have proper lifesaving equipment such as personal floatation devices and lifejackets on board, as per the requirements of Transport Canada.
There have been dangerous incidents along Lake Huron this summer. A 57-year-old London man’s body was recovered near Grand Bend after a six-day search that started after he went missing while kayaking. Police say he wasn’t wearing a life jacket.
In another Lake Huron case, a man with hypothermia was found floating in Lake Huron off Goderich harbour, about five kilometres from shore, on June 15, police said. He had been operating a vessel and was wearing a life jacket “which saved his life,” police said.
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