Man dies in ice boat crash on Bay of Quinte
A 78-year-old man from Ameliasburgh, Ont., is dead after his ice boat crashed on the Bay of Quinte Tuesday afternoon.
An ice boat is similar to a sailboat, but is fitted with skis or skates, allowing it to glide over ice
At about 3:40 p.m., the ice boat appears to have struck a pressure crack near Rednersville Road in Ameliasburgh, causing the front blade to jam and the boat to stop abruptly, a witness told Ontario Provincial Police.
The witness donned a flotation suit and went out onto the ice to help the ice boat's pilot, OPP said in a media release issued Wednesday.
CPR was started and other witnesses helped bring the man to shore, where paramedics took over resuscitation efforts.
Despite their attempts to save him, the man died, OPP said. An autopsy will determine the cause of death.
The incident is not considered suspicious, OPP said.
Ameliasburgh is just south of Belleville, about 235 kilometres southwest of downtown Ottawa.
Prince Edward County OPP are reminding residents to monitor ice and snow conditions before venturing out onto ice, and said fluctuating temperatures can result in varying ice thickness.
