Police say a 50-year-old man from Milton drowned in Lake Erie on Monday afternoon amid increased wind and wave conditions, despite efforts to save him.
At 1:15 p.m. officers from the Niagara Regional Police and emergency service personnel responded to a Port Colborne beach for a report of a possible drowning at Sun Retreats Sherkston Shores on Empire Road.
The initial investigation determined that a male had gone swimming in Lake Erie and became distressed in the water. A bystander attempted to assist the man but was unable to.
The man disappeared below the water and did not resurface, police said in a news release.
Emergency services including the NRPS Marine Unit, Port Colborne Fire Service, Niagara Emergency Medical Service (NEMS), and the Port Colborne Marine Auxiliary Rescue (POCOMAR) attended the scene.
The Canadian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton dispatched a rescue helicopter that had been in Toronto for the air show.
The man was located by the helicopter under the water. He was recovered from the water in critical condition and transported to shore to NEMS paramedics and then to a local hospital.
"Despite resuscitative efforts the man was pronounced deceased at the hospital," police said.
At the time of this incident Lake Erie was affected by increased wind and wave conditions, police noted.
Police are investigating but said foul play is not suspected.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the investigating officers by calling 905-0688-4111, option 3, ext. 1023300.
