The Ontario Provincial Police say they have found the body of an eight-year-old boy who went missing while on an inflatable raft in Lake Erie at Turkey Point on Saturday afternoon.
“As I bring this update to you, it is with a heavy heart. At approximately 2:15 this afternoon, members of the OPP underwater search and recovery unit and OPP marine unit located the eight-year-old missing child deceased,” Acting Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said in an update on Twitter.
He said the identity of the child would not be released at this time.
Sanchuk said the boy went missing at around 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
“It was determined that an eight-year-old child was seen swimming in the waters of Lake Erie off of Cedar Drive when the child abandoned the floating raft that they were on and attempted to swim back to shore,” he said.
Sanchuk said family members contacted police when they were unable to locate their son.
A large search was conducted to find the missing boy. Sanchuk said the Norfolk County’s police department, marine unit, fire department, paramedics services along with OPP’s Aviation Services and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton were involved.
In an update Sunday afternoon, Sanchuk said the child was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident. Witnesses said it appeared as though the wind had blown the child out far into the water.
He said the family is absolutely traumatized and devastated.
“My heart hurts for them and the entire family … I’m at a loss for words for this,” Sanchuk said.