25-Year-Old Man Dead After Drowning In The Rapid Waters Of Mississippi River Near Ottawa

A 25-year-old man died from drowning in the Mississippi River just outside of Ottawa on May 15.

Pascal Bredin, from Gatineau, Quebec, was found in the river near the village of Blakeney, Ontario, in the township of Mississippi Mills, roughly 40 minutes outside of Ottawa.

Lanark County Ontario Provincial Police responded to an emergency call for the incident at around 9:45 a.m.

In a news release on Sunday, police said that the man died in "a section of the river where the water moves rapidly."

The Lanark County police continue to investigate the drowning alongside the Lanark County OPP Crime Unit. The Mississippi Mills Fire Department and the Lanark County Paramedic Service are also involved in the ongoing investigation.

According to data from the Government of Canada, drowning happens more often among males than females.

Males made up roughly 59% of the drowning cases reported in selected emergency departments across the country between April 2011 and July 2021. But children under the age of 10 represented the largest number of drowning cases at 80%.

Over a fifth (21%) of those drownings occurred in natural bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes.

This is a developing story. Check back for more details.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.