Bodies of father, son pulled from Lake Erie in search for overdue boaters

The bodies of a father and son from Norfolk County were pulled from Lake Erie on Monday after being reported overdue from a boating outing.

Ontario Provincial Police say the 53-year-old and seven-year-old were found more than 3.5 km — about two nautical miles — from shore by a passing boater.

Provincial police and the Canadian Coast Guard out of Port Dover took part in the search which concluded when the boater located the missing people. They were then recovered by the Coast Guard.

Police say they were called Monday afternoon to an area of St. Williams, Ont., on the northern shores of the lake, about the overdue boaters.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said in an email to CHCH News that the father and son were wearing life jackets at the time of the incident.

In a video on social media, Sgt. Sanchuk expressed deepest condolences to friends and family.

“As a father, I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. And each and every one of you are in our thoughts,” said Sanchuk.

The identities of the deceased have not yet been released and the investigation is ongoing, including the search for the missing boat.

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