Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

BRACEBRIDGE — A search for a Bracebridge man, 67, who fell out of a boat near the Bowyers Beach on Lake Muskoka Canada Day when the weather changed late in the afternoon, is presumed to have drowned.

Despite efforts of nearby boaters who tried to come to his rescue, responding police divers did not find the man immediately and have not released his name.

However, they said they were searching the water just before 6 p.m. near Sandy Bay after the boater fell overboard and failed to surface.

On July 1, at 5:45 p.m., officers, and the OPP Marine Unit, responded to a distress call from a boater indicating a person had fallen out of their vessel in Bracebridge just north of  the entrance to Lake Muskoka from the Muskoka River. And south of Hwy. 118.

A couple had been returning to Bracebridge in their boat and as the weather quickly changed before rain, making navigation difficult.

Police report the man fell out of the boat and was struggling in the water.

Nearby residents responded to the calls for help and took their boats out to help

But the man was not located.

The OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit (USRU) is assisting with the search this morning and anyone with information is asked to call Bracebridge OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

UPDATE: Police conducted a search of the water and shore and on July 2, just before noon, the USRU with assistance from OPP Aviation support, recovered the body of the man from the water, however unfortunately he did not survive.

This is the second recent drowning in South Muskoka, following a man who was swimming at the Muskoka Wharf June 21.

Struggling youth pulled from water in Bracebridge

Also Wednesday a youth struggling in the water at Bracebridge Bay Park, had bystanders leapt into action and pull the person out of the water.

OPP say they received a call around 9:40 p.m. for a youth in distress.

The bystanders rescued the youth and performed CPR, who was transported to hospital and was reported to be in non-life-threatening condition.

Otonabee River drowning leads to charges June 30

This follows another drowning east of Muskoka on Tuesday, in which one person was charged.

Peterborough County OPP say that on, just after 2:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to a call regarding an adult male who had fallen off a boat while on the Otonabee River.

The caller advised that they had been travelling east on the river when another boat went by at which point one of the four individuals on the boat fell into the water. They said the missing person was not wearing a life jacket at the time that they went into the water and was no longer able to be seen.

Police arrived on scene and a nearby OPP marine unit made its way to the location by water.

The OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit (USRU) attended the location and shortly before 9 p.m, divers located the body of the victim.

A 39-year-old male from Oshawa was pronounced as deceased at the scene.

Officers made contact with the three remaining individuals who were still on the boat near the location the person went into the water. They were taken to shore while the area was searched for the missing person.

While speaking with the passengers, it was determined that they had been consuming alcohol and as a result, an officer made a demand of the operator of the vessel to provide a sample of their breath into an Approved Screening Device (ASD).

The driver complied with the demand and as a result was arrested and transported to the Peterborough County OPP detachment for further testing.

As a result, Jayatharssan Yyogaratnam, 28, of Whitchurch-Stouville, was arrested and charged with:

• Operation causing death
• Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)

Yyogaratnam  was held for bail.

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