Many Maritimers are enjoying the unusually warm ocean water this summer, but questions of safety are being raised after two people died in the water over the weekend in Nova Scotia.
The body of Peter Jeffrey Horn was found by a man in a sailboat Monday morning. The 49-year-old was out in a boat with his father Sunday night when he decided to go snorkeling.
“He went off the side of the boat near Birchy Island, and that was the last time he saw his son,” says Sgt. Paul Coughlin of the Lunenburg County RCMP.
There were signs Horn may have been in some distress. He started out wearing a weight belt.
“So when he was found he didn’t have a weight belt, and normally when someone is diving runs into some problems, they’ll drop their weight belt so they’ll remain buoyant,” says Sgt. Coughlin.
The body of another man, 37-year-old Wayne Andrew McInnis was found on Saturday. He had been scuba diving in Mill Cove near St. Margaret’s Bay when he was separated from the rest of his group.
Residents are concerned by the two drownings. In the past, a whole summer has gone by with no such incidents in the area.
“Things can happen so fast if you’re not prepared,” says one area resident.
Police are asking people to be careful on the water.
Autopsies will be conducted in both cases to determine the exact cause of death.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Ron Shaw
