This tweet from the Hamilton Police Marine Unit.
Just before 9pm last night we rescued 2 people from Lake Ontario near Van Wagner’s Beach. Both were on an inflatable tube that was blown over 800 meters off shore. Neither were wearing a lifejacket. The male from Thunder Bay and female from Etobicoke were both charged.
The pair was lucky a man on the beach saw them & called 911. They had no safety equipment and no way to call for help as they continued to be blown further out on the Lake. These situations are preventable. Inflatable floaties are meant for pools, ponds and small lakes.
Both were charged for not having a lifejacket, contrary to the Canada Shipping Act ($240 fine). Despite being on an inflatable, there’s an obligation to ensure it can’t drift outside beach swim area. Once that far offshore, all the safety requirements for a pleasure craft apply.
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