A 19-year-old man who had recently arrived in Peterborough to study at Fleming College drowned on Sunday night (June 25).
At around 8:30 p.m., Peterborough police, fire services, and paramedics responded to a 9-1-1 call for help off Turtle Island on the Otonabee River south of Parkhill Road East. The man had gone into the Otonabee River but did not resurface.
Police searched the shoreline and deployed the remotely piloted aircraft system, while firefighters deployed resources including two boats to help in the search.
About an hour later, firefighters located the missing man in the water.
While lifesaving measures were started and continued by paramedics, the man was pronounced dead at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.
The man had just recently arrived in Peterborough as an international student and was attending Fleming College. His next of kin have been notified.
Calling the student’s death “an immense tragedy for our college community,” Fleming College is providing support for students, staff, and faculty, with counsellors directly supporting the student’s friends and classmates.
Fleming College and our entire community are devastated by this news. We offer our condolences to the family, friends, and all who are impacted by this terrible tragedy. @flemingcollege is providing many levels of support to all students during this difficult time. https://t.co/AWBVSf1U9t
— @Fleming_Pres (@Fleming_Pres) June 26, 2023
