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Man dies trying to help child in Conestogo Lake: OPP

Ontario Provincial Police Underwater and Recovery Unit recovered the body of a missing boater on Peter Lake on Aug. 14, 2022. Supplied

Wellington County OPP say a 33-year-old man died while trying to help a child in Conestogo Lake on Sunday afternoon.

Emergency crews were called to the lake in Mapleton Township just before 12:30 p.m.

OPP said a family was in a boat and a man went into the water after a child who either fell or jumped into the lake.

The child was wearing a life-jacket but OPP said it doesn’t appear the man was wearing one.

Bystanders nearby were able to safely pull the child from the water but the man failed to resurface.

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After several hours of searching the lake, OPP’s underwater search and recovery unit was able to find and pull the man’s body from the water just before 9 p.m.

He has been identified as Matthew Ottens of Mapleton Township. OPP did not confirm the relationship between Ottens and the child.

An autopsy is scheduled to take place on Monday.

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