A fatal boating over the Victoria Day long weekend on a lake north of Kingston, Ont., is under investigation by the OPP, after three people were killed and five injured.
Officials say a speed boat collided with a fishing boat around 9:30 p.m. on May 18, in the Bucks Bay area of Bobs Lake. Three people, between the ages of 21 and 23, died.
All three had graduated from high schools in the Limestone School District. Their names were Riley Orr, Juliette Cote and Kaila Bearman.
In an emailed statement to Global News, the district said it is working with schools to ensure that students received the support they may need — further adding that educational services staff are available to students for as long as needed.
A moment of silence was held by the Kingston Area Secondary Schools Athletic Association prior to a baseball game between the Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School and the Sydenham High School on Tuesday.
According to the association’s athletic coordinator, Paul Pennell, the victims were former student athletes with the association.
“One from Sydenham, one from Regiopolis, and one from LaSalle,” he said.
Remembering the lives lost, Pennell said Orr had been a graduate from Sydenham High School and was a pitcher for the Golden Eagles. His former number was represented at Tuesday’s game. Cote, he said, was a graduate from LaSalle Secondary School and field hockey and soccer player. And Bearman, who had graduated from Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School in 2021, had played volleyball and soccer.
“It’s a sad day for (the association). We’re going to honour these three individuals throughout the week with our soccer championships tonight and tomorrow,” Pennell said. “These three will be in our thoughts and prayers throughout the week and to the end of the season.”
“Several other people were transported to the hospital, one of them with serious injures, by Air Ornge,” said Bill Dickson, media coordinator with OPP East Region. “The investigation is ongoing… our thoughts are with the families at this time.”
No charges have been laid so far, with the OPP saying there are no updates on the status of the five others taken to the hospital.
“There were still people in the water when first responders arrived,” Dickson said.
The speed limit for boaters in the area is 10 km/h. Speaking to Global News on Monday, a few residents near the site of the collision said they knew the speeding boat involved in the crash.
“That speed boat, it’s been known to be driving fairly quickly,” said Paul Hogan. Another resident, Bob Main, noted that while he doesn’t know the owner of the boat, he’s seen the boat frequent the waters.
“That boat is an incredibly fast boat,” he said. “Everybody knows that boat.”
With the investigation still underway, no information has been released as to whether speed, alcohol or a lack of navigation lights played a part in the fatal incident.
— with files from Global’s Katylyn Poberznick and Fawwaz Muhammad-Yusuf