A 15-year-old youth was seriously injured after jumping off the McFarlane Street bridge in Peterborough late Saturday afternoon (July 4) and striking a boat that was passing underneath.
Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) along with emergency medical services and fire were dispatched to the scene at around 4:45 p.m. on Saturday.
Witnesses reported the teenager had jumped from the bridge before a large boat that was passing underneath had cleared the bridge. The youth struck the boat, landed in the water, and did not resurface immediately. The youth’s friends who were also on the bridge jumped into the water to help.
After first responders arrived, they helped to recover the youth, who was taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre and later transported by air ambulance to a Toronto-area trauma centre.
The bridge was closed while police conducted an investigation. The investigation is continuing, and police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has video footage and who has not yet spoken to police to call Peterborough County OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Located north of the Peterborough Lift Lock, the McFarlane Street bridge goes over the Trent Canal which is frequented by boat traffic navigating the Trent-Severn Waterway.
The OPP is urging the public to stay off bridge railings and structures and to never jump from bridges into waterways as doing so is extremely dangerous and can have tragic consequences.
The height of a bridge can cause serious injuries upon impact with the water, while hidden hazards such as shallow depths, rocks, debris, and strong currents may not be visible from above.
The danger is further increased when vessels are operating nearby, as boat operators may not see a person entering the water in time to avoid a collision. Individuals who jump from bridges also place themselves, other members of the public, and emergency responders at significant risk.
