Police marine unit fields 'multiple rescue calls' after people blown offshore on inflatables
Last summer saw a family stranded on big, pink flamingo in Lake Ontario
Hamilton police are warning people who head out onto Lake Ontario aboard inflatable vessels to be prepared after responding to "multiple rescue calls" over the weekend.
The marine unit says it received the calls about floaties being blown offshore on Saturday.
All of the people out for a day on the water were unprepared for the conditions, police say.
Last summer, police rescued a family that floated away on a big pink flamingo in Lake Ontario. Three people entered the water around 10 p.m., but drifted from the shore. They spent several hours roughly four kilometres from land.
Large, passing ships and dropping temperatures prompted them to call for help, police said at the time.
Police also saved a duo who spent some time on a boat-shaped blue and white inflatable, which blew three kilometres off shore at Van Wagner's Beach in July 2020.
The marine unit is reminding people to check the weather, know their surroundings and to have appropriate safety equipment with them when out on the water.
We received multiple rescue calls yesterday for people blown offshore on inflatable vessels. All were unprepared for the conditions highlighting the need to check weather, know your surroundings and always have appropriate safety equipment.
—@HPSMarine