Man in his 60s died while swimming across a Lake Ontario bay in Mississauga

A few more details have emerged about the death of a man who was attempting to cross a bay in Lake Ontario in Mississauga yesterday.

Emergency crews responded to multiple calls for a swimmer in distress in the Lakefront Promenade area of Port Credit yesterday (June 14) around 3:40 p.m. Sadly, crews found the man dead shortly before 6 p.m.

The man, in his 60s, was attempting to swim across the bay from the Lakefront Promenade area to RK McMillion Park, Peel Region Police Media Relations Officer Tyler Bell-Morena tells insauga.com.

“He crossed the body of water there in the bay to make it to the other side,” Bell-Morena says. “And on his return back from RK McMillion Park he went into some form of distress.”

There are reports from witnesses that the man was unhoused and attempted the swim on a dare for money but Bell-Morena could not confirm if this was true.

There were also reports that someone attempted to rescue the man before emergency crews arrived.

“A young man tried to swim out to save him but the water was too cold and he had to come back,” said one witness on Facebook.

Police couldn’t confirm this.

Ward 1 Councillor Stephen Dasko said on Facebook that he was looking into reports that there was no life-saving equipment such as floatation devices in the park for bystanders to help the man. But Bell-Morena said this isn’t an area that is commonly used for swimming.

“This is a very tragic and sad situation,” Dasko said.

Bell-Morena said they are looking to find next of kin and are not releasing any further details about the man at this time.

It is unknown if the man had a medical episode while swimming or drown as a result of exhaustion.

The coroner’s office will further investigate the cause of death.