Ontario Provincial Police have cited a man after officers spotted him operating a boat with kids aboard and no flotation devices.
The Essex County OPP's Marine Unit was engaged in a joint security operation on the Detroit River near LaSalle at around 10:30 a.m. Thursday, when they spotted a vessel operating with young kids aboard. According to Constable Steven Duguay, the kids were not wearing life jackets.
Officers went to the boat to check for the required safety equipment and found no child-sized life jackets on board. There was also no bow rail, and officers were concerned that with the choppy conditions of the river, there was a possibility the boat would have capsized.
The children were aged five and seven, said Duguay.
The boat's operator, a 61-year-old man from Niagara Falls, has been charged with operating a non-human-powered pleasure craft without flotation devices for each person on board.
Duguay reminded residents that with the Civic Holiday weekend upon us, making sure boats are equipped with the proper safety devices is essential.
"Everyone needs to familiarize themselves with all of their safety equipment associated with their vessel," said Duguay. "They need to know where it is and how to use it in case they become in distress. Police also remind everyone about the importance of a properly fitted life jacket and always wearing it when you enter the water. Preparing for that day on the water will save lives. When it comes to ensuring a child's safety on the water, no piece of equipment is more vital than a life jacket."
The Marine Unit was working with the RCMP, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the U.S. Coast Guard at the time the boat was spotted.
