A 65-year-old Canadian man died after falling into the Erie Canal in Newark, Wayne County, over the weekend, according to police.
Here’s what happened in the drowning Saturday, July 11.
Man falls into Erie Canal
A group of four people from Canada was sightseeing by boat on the Erie Canal in Newark when one of the passengers fell into the water near Van Buren Street around 6:10 p.m. Saturday, according to the Newark Police Department.
When emergency responders arrived, they found a woman from the boat in the canal searching for her partner, the 65-year-old man who had fallen into the water, Newark Police Chief Agustin Gonzalez said. Responders were able to safely get the woman out of the canal.
Investigators believe the man slipped and fell into the water between the boat and the canal wall while attempting to get off or board the vessel, Gonzalez said.
A ‘tragic accident’
Newark firefighters launched a rescue boat and searched the canal. The man’s body was later recovered, police said. His name has not been released.
“This appears to be a tragic accident,” Gonzalez said.
The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Newark-Arcadia Ambulance and Fairville Fire Department assisted at the scene.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Man dies after falling into Erie Canal in Wayne County
Reporting by Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team | USA TODAY Network
