One man dead, brother in life-threatening condition after water rescue at Peggy's Cove

One man is dead and his brother has suffered life-threatening injuries after they were swept off the rocks into the water near the Peggy’s Cove lighthouse Monday night.

The RCMP says a wave swept the two men out into the ocean at the popular tourist attraction in Peggy’s Cove, N.S., around 8:30 p.m.

The RCMP, Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency, Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and Canadian Coast Guard all responded to the scene. They launched a rescue effort from the air and water, with the help of some local boats.

Police say a 26-year-old Ontario man was found near the shore and rescued by fire crews around 8:55 p.m. He suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

A 23-year-old man from Dartmouth, N.S., was found in the ocean and pulled onto a coast guard ship around 9:40 p.m.

Police say the man was airlifted to CFB Shearwater by a Cormorant helicopter. Search-and-rescue technicians performed first aid, but police say the man was pronounced dead upon arrival at CFB Shearwater.

"So, you can imagine this time of year, the water is very cold and hypothermia can set in very quickly," said Nova Scotia RCMP Const. Guillaume Tremblay.

Police have not released any other details about the men, but CTV News has confirmed they are brothers.

It's unclear at this time what the men were doing before they were swept into the water.

The Nova Scotia medical examiner’s office is involved in the investigation.

LOCAL BOATS JOIN RESCUE EFFORT

John Campbell, who owns the Sou’Wester Restaurant at the site, told CTV News he didn’t realize anything was wrong until the first RCMP vehicle arrived, though firefighters were already on scene.  

“They had a rope around the one,” Campbell said. "At that point, he was still getting hit by waves and still very vulnerable."

"Rescue workers were there trying to get a person up over the rocks, who was also trying to help himself," said Eric Morash, a fisherman who helped with the search.

Campbell learned there was someone else in the water who hadn’t been seen in a while, so a lobster fisherman suggested he and Campbell head out in a boat. Two other boats in the fishing village also went out to help.  

 About 25 minutes later, Campbell said his group found the second man.  

 “He had gone quite a ways but he wasn’t that far from shore,” he said.

 “We found him but the Coast Guard boat was right there, so we called them over and he went on the Coast Guard boat, which was good ‘cause they had the proper gear to not hurt him, get him out of the water.” 

In terms of the rescue effort, what was different about Monday night, Campbell said, was that it was calm enough for boats to head out and help.

 “That certainly helped,” he said. “It’s hard after a few hours, it gets a lot more challenging.

 “Unfortunately, it’s part of being in Peggy’s Cove.”