Autopsy indicates man likely drowned: RCMP

Autopsy results on the Charlottetown man who died in the harbour near Charlottetown Yacht Club Tuesday night indicate the cause of death was drowning, say RCMP.

Although Bill Ryan, 54, banged his head and might have been stunned or rendered unconscious, the head injury was not fatal, said Sgt. Andrew Blackadar.

The official cause of death is pending a toxicology report, which is standard autopsy procedure, said Blackadar.

Ryan died after his companions were unable to help him and rescue crews not able to get to his aid in time.

RCMP got the call at 5:50 p.m. saying a man had fallen off a boat not far from the Charlottetown Yacht Club. The three people who were with him couldn't reach him before he disappeared under the water.

"There was a gentleman getting a drive from one boat to another, when both boats were together on the water the deceased tried going from one boat to the other," said RCMP Const. Serge St.-Pierre.

"It appears he would have hit his head on the boat he was jumping on and fell in the water. From there called the mayday for the coast guard to come and assist but unfortunately they weren't able to rescue him right away."

The Charlottetown Fire Department, Charlottetown Police, Island EMS and RCMP were on the scene. Two divers searched under water and a rescue helicopter scanned the harbour from the sky. Several people watched from the yacht club, many in tears.

The body of the man was found at about 7:30 p.m. The RCMP is investigating the incident.