‘A tragedy’: Family of boy who drowned in Manitoba park in 2023 speaks out

The family of a boy who drowned in Manitoba's Whiteshell Provincial Park in 2023 is voicing urgent calls for change following the recent deaths of two brothers in the same treacherous area. Usaid Habib, 12, drowned near Nutimik Lake in May 2023 after being swept away by rapids during a family hike. His father, Danish Habib, expressed deep frustration, asking, “What are they waiting for? More people to die before they take any action?”

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What are they waiting for? More people to die before they take any action?

This past weekend, the bodies of 10-year-old Maximo Au Ramirez and his 13-year-old brother, Aaron, were recovered near the falls at Nutimik Lake. A large-scale search effort involving volunteers, RCMP drone and diving teams, First Nations responders, and the Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team had been underway since Saturday. The recovery of the boys adds to a tragic pattern of drownings at this specific location.

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Maybe Usaid was just putting his leg in the water to see the flow or the temperature of the water and that’s when he slipped. Rapids just took him away. It was a split-second thing.

Danish Habib recounted the harrowing moment his son Usaid slipped and was instantly pulled away by the rapids, describing it as a "split-second thing." He remembered his son as the "emotional glue of our household." Usaid’s mother, Urooj Danish, described him as energetic, caring, and kindhearted. The family's anguish is compounded by the knowledge that other drownings have occurred at the same spot, including a 38-year-old woman in 2025.

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As soon as I (heard) about that, it’s devastation (for) one thing. But then, I got very furious and angry and frustrated that there are already incidents (that) happened at the same spot.

Meeting with the mother of the two latest victims before their bodies were recovered, Danish Habib stated, “No, I did not know her. You don’t need to know someone. This was a tragedy no one should ever have endured.” Usaid’s mother shared feelings of being "hopeless toward the system" and that her community is being failed. Manitoba's Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Mike Moyes, acknowledged the ongoing concerns and stated the province is assessing risks and has previously implemented safeguards like improved signage, promising further evaluation.

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No, I did not know her. You don’t need to know someone. This was a tragedy no one should ever have endured.