Irish man on Canada work visa drowns in Lake Ontario

August 19 2009 by Mark Johnstone

Lake Ontario: scene of drowning tragedy

A 20-year old man from Ireland who was visiting Canada on a temporary Canadian visa and was due home next week drowned Tuesday.

The tragedy occurred after the 20-year old man, who was with a group of friends camping on the Toronto Islands, went for a swim in Lake Ontario.

A police spokesperson said: "As the three went to return to the beach, one of the friends turned around to see how their friend was doing and he was nowhere to be seen - he had fallen under the water. The friends managed to find a pay phone and made a 911 call just after 7:30 a.m. ET.

The police have contacted the Irish embassy - who are responsible for all such Canadian immigration tragedies - to get in touch with the victim’s family.

The incident is the latest in a series of drownings in the Ontario area in the past few weeks. One recent victim was 21-year old Peter Ludian from Poland. He had made the move to Canada to visit the country as a tourist.

The latest drowning of the unnamed Irish man has prompted safety officials to ensure swimmers take precautions if using the waters for recreational purposes.

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