Body of swimmer who disappeared at Britannia Beach recovered

Ottawa police say they have recovered the body of a swimmer who disappeared on Wednesdayat Britannia Beach.

In a Twitter postissued at about 12:30 a.m. Friday, police said their thoughts are with the swimmer's family and friends.

It'sunclear when the body was found. Thursday's search had been suspended because of the severe, tornado-producing storms that passed through the region.

On Wednesday, emergency crews were called to the beach on the Ottawa River west of the downtown core at about7:10 p.m. for reports of a 21-year-old man who had disappeared in the water.

An Ottawa Fire Services water rescue crew was dispatched, followed bythe police's marine, dive and trails unit.

Another disappearance at same beach, same time of day

The disappearance of the21-year-old happened at almost exactly the same time of day asa call on Sundayabout a17-year-old girl who had disappeared in the water near Britannia Beach.

She, too, was reported missingshortly after 7 p.m., right after lifeguards went off duty.

The girl was later found in the river after a search that includedlifeguards andcivilians, and she was taken to hospital in critical condition. There has been no further update on her condition.

Ottawa's city beaches, which also include Mooney's Bay and Petrie Island, are supervised from 12 to 7 p.m. during the swimming season.

Beach was dredged in 2020 to make it deeper

Britannia Beach was closed for a year to allow for dredgingin 2020 to make the water deeper.Since the last dredging in 1990, the water depth hadshrunk to less than half a metre, the city said at the time. Sand and siltdrift in and build up over time.

Coun. Theresa Kavanagh an avid swimmer who frequents Britannia Beach told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning on Friday thatthere are "many, many signs and warnings" about the drop-off created in the sand under the water.

But Kavanagh said the biggest factor is education people need know what they're doing when they enter the water.

"The more we can do, the better. And every child should learn the basics, absolutely," she said.

"The priority should be given to areas where kids are less likely to get swimming lessons from their parents."

LISTEN: Coun. Theresa Kavanagh's full interview with Ottawa Morning

As for the possibility of extending lifeguard hours, Kavanagh said it's"something we'd have to look at."

Budgets area factor, she said, and it would be a big change, especially considering the shortage of lifeguards in Ontario and beyond.

The province recently lowered the age requirement for lifeguards to 15in a bid to attract more of them.