Windsor

Two men rescued after spending night stranded on island in St. Clair

A group of friends were boating in the Chenail Écarté on Lake St. Clair when one of them fell into the water.

It was too dark so the victim had to wait until morning to be rescued

An Ontario Provincial Police logo on a police vehicle.
Police say they located the boaters Thursday morning. (CBC)

A man is fighting for his life in hospital after falling out of a boat and nearly drowning on Lake St. Clair earlier this week, according to the Ontario Provincial Police. 

Two men were on a boat in the Chenail Écarté late Wednesday night when one of the men fell out of the boat and into the water. 

"His buddy goes to rescue him, pulls him out of the water but the boat gets away from him," said OPP Const. Jay Denorer.

The man swam with the one who fell off the boat toward St. Anne's island in the dark of night, according to Denorer. 

"So his friend pulls the victim to shore but due to the darkness at that time they're not able to see where they're at, if there's any houses around."

Denorer said the man who rescued his friend spent the night yelling for help, eventually swimming to land to find help once the sun came up.

Walpole Island First Nation Police, Chatham-Kent Police Service and Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services responded to the near drowning complaint at around 6:30 a.m.

The man is in currently in serious condition in a Windsor hospital.

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