Colchester District RCMP is investigating the drowning of a 22-year-old man at Shortts Lake.

Shortly after 6.a.m. this morning, Colchester District RCMP responded to a 911 call from citizens at Shortts Lake after an adult male boater had been rescued from the water by an area resident.

The boater told the rescuer that another adult male was with him, but that he had lost sight of him after both men went into the water.

Preliminary investigation revealed that two adult males, aged 22 and 23 years, went out onto Shortts Lake in a kayak at approximately 5:30 a.m. The boaters then became distressed, yelled for help, and began swimming toward the shore. An area resident was able to go out and rescue the 22-year-old man, but was unable to locate the 23-year-old man.

RCMP engaged a variety of agencies to assist with the search, including the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), the Brookfield Fire Department, Ground Search and Rescue, Emergency Health Services, and the Colchester HAZMAT Unit. An RCMP helicopter was also called in to assist with the search.

Emergency personnel conducted an extensive search of Shortts Lake and the surrounding area for over four hours. At approximately 11:30 a.m., the operation switched from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At approximately 1:15 p.m. members of the Colchester HAZMAT Unit and Brookfield Fire Department located the body of the missing missing 23-year-old man in the waters of Shortts Lake from the RCMP Helicopter.

The cause of death is currently under investigation, and the RCMP is not releasing the identity of the deceased 23-year-old at this time.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim.

Source: Release