(RCMP.GC.CA)
Manitoba RCMP is urging residents to take precautions after a 39-hour stretch over the weekend saw two suspected drownings and two fatal collisions, all involving young people.
An 18-year-old Dauphin man died early Saturday morning following a single-vehicle collision on Highway 20 near Road 156 North in the RM of Dauphin. Police believe the driver lost control while rounding a corner and went into the ditch.
Later Saturday, two boys — aged 13 and 10 — are believed to have slipped into fast-moving rapids at Nutimik Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park and did not resurface. Multiple teams continue to search for the boys, with divers searching the falls and patrols along the shoreline as of Monday afternoon.
A 16-year-old boy from Virden died Saturday afternoon following a collision in Oak Lake, in the RM of Sifton. Police say the teen had been riding a dirt bike with friends when he struck an unmarked guy-wire.
On Sunday evening, an 18-year-old Winnipeg man went swimming at a gravel pit in the RM of Hanover, went underwater and didn’t resurface. Divers from the RCMP underwater recovery team joined St. Pierre-Jolys RCMP at the scene. The man’s body was recovered Monday afternoon.
“The death of any young person is a tragedy that devastates their families, friends and entire communities. We offer our deepest sympathies to those who have been affected by these tragedies,” said RCMP spokesperson Melanie Roussel.
“We know summers in Manitoba have so much to offer, but we are urging everyone to take precautions and make safe choices — whether you are on the water, on the road or riding off-road.”
The weekend also saw several close calls. On Saturday evening, an off-road vehicle rolled over on Gosselin Road in the RM of De Salaberry, injuring three youths — a 15-year-old girl, a 13-year-old girl and a nine-year-old boy — all of whom were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
On Sunday afternoon, a 47-year-old motorcyclist lost control of his bike on the off-ramp entering Portage la Prairie, tipping the bike over. He was initially taken to hospital with what appeared to be serious injuries but has since been upgraded to stable condition.
— With files from Manitoba RCMP
