BARRIE -- One man has died, and another is recovering in hospital after the sled they were on went into Lake Simcoe on Sunday.
The two sledders were on one machine at the time. It happened around 4:30 am.
Orillia resident Ronald Portelli lives nearby and says he heard the screams for help. "The guy had strong lungs. He said, 'please help me,' he just kept repeating that, 'please help me'. It was quite distressing to hear somebody who is crying for his life," Portelli said.
Orillia and Ramara fire crews were able to save one of the snowmobilers, a Barrie resident. He was transported to a local hospital to be treated for hypothermia.
The OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit (USRU) and the OPP helicopter were dispatched to help find the second snowmobiler. By early Sunday afternoon, recovery teams found his body. Police identified him as a 35-year-old Orillia man.
Police also say neither of the two friends were wearing life jackets or a floater suit. Orillia OPP Const. Martin Hill said the fact that it happened in the early hours of the morning - where visibility is scarce - made matters worse.
"It's dark; you can't really see much more than what's in front of you on a snow machine, especially on a lake. So if they got into the open water and were going less than 37 miles per hour, they would go in," Hill said.
At this point, police say they are still unsure if the two men crashed through the ice or drove into open water. They are continuing to investigate.
