Two young adults pulled from Montreal’s Lachine Canal

Two individuals in their early 20s are in critical condition after being rescued from Montreal's Lachine Canal. The incident occurred late Saturday night when one person fell into the water, and another entered the canal in an attempt to provide assistance. Emergency services, including the fire department and Canadian Coast Guard, located both individuals using sonar equipment. They were transported to the hospital by Urgences-santé paramedics.

“

People will say I don’t have any choice, I have to jump in the water and try and reach them before I lose them. This is a kind of reaction we can have, particularly if it’s a very close person to us. But don’t take a risk.

The rescue highlights ongoing concerns about water safety in Quebec. The Société de sauvetage reports 22 drownings in the province so far this year, with a significant portion occurring in rivers. Raynald Hawkins, the organization's executive director, noted that while drowning numbers have decreased significantly over the past 40 years, many incidents remain preventable. He emphasized that most drownings involve a rescue attempt, often by untrained individuals.

“

But don’t take a risk.

Hawkins urged the public to prioritize safety, stating that unless one is a trained swimmer, the best course of action is to call 9-1-1 immediately. He also supports calls for mandatory lifejacket use and permanent funding for school swimming programs. The organization aims to further reduce drowning incidents in Quebec and across Canada.

“

Going in this direction we’re gonna see our numbers going down to 20 drownings in Québec and close to 100 in Canada and the average will be in the future maybe close to 40. But again, when we have one drowning … [it] is too much for us.