Nova Scotia Police Investigate Two Fatal Boating Accidents

Authorities in Nova Scotia are urging increased boating safety following two separate fatal incidents that claimed the lives of three individuals over the past week. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are actively investigating both occurrences.

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The person is believed to have been ejected because the boat ran into shallow water, so it had hit land, and that caused the person to be ejected from the boat.

The first incident involved a 24-year-old from Wallace, Nova Scotia, who died after being thrown from a boat that ran aground near Oak Island in Cumberland County. According to Cpl. Mandy Edwards, the individual is believed to have been ejected due to the boat hitting land in shallow water.

A second fatal boating accident took place on Aylesford Lake on July 1. Two passengers were ejected from a boat, resulting in the death of a 70-year-old man at the scene. The body of the second passenger, a 58-year-old local man, was recovered the following day after an extensive search.

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Officers arrived on scene and (people) in another boat were able to get one of the persons out of the water. But they were declared deceased.

Transportation Canada boating safety officer Chris Hanlon emphasized the critical importance of boaters knowing their operating areas to prevent accidents like running aground or collisions. He advised maintaining safe speeds, adapting to conditions, and ensuring passengers remain aboard. Hanlon also stressed the need to keep a constant eye on anyone ejected from a boat to facilitate a swift rescue.

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The more aware you are of what’s going on, the less likely you are to run aground or hit something that causes you to become ejected.

Safety recommendations include wearing a lifejacket, ensuring sufficient lifejackets are available for all passengers, boating sober, informing someone of travel plans, and specifying return times. The RCMP continue to investigate both incidents and appeal for any witnesses or individuals with information to come forward.

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We always want to stress: wear a lifejacket, make sure you have a lifejacket on board for everybody.