Search teams recover missing man on Lake St. George

Search teams have recovered the body of a missing man who disappeared on Friday afternoon while on Lake St. George in Severn Township.

Catherine Garcia Fajardo has identified the man as her soon-to-be ex-husband and father of three children, Reinier Cespedes of Orillia.

"It’s very hard in particular for my children so they can’t understand what happened still so they ask me if their father is coming back home I say your father not coming back because it’s the truth," said Catherine Garcia Fajardo.

"The male was observed to go underwater. Rescue efforts were made but the male was not located," said Constable Brett Boniface with Orillia OPP.

Police say Cespedes was alone at the time in the lake.

A nearby resident who was not willing to appear on camera says she saw a neighbor jump on this kayak to try and save the man’s life.

"I could see his head and I called 9-1-1 and I told her what was going on I said I don’t don’t think I see his head anymore," said a resident.

Search and recovery teams spent most of the day scouring the lake looking for any sign of Cespedes.

On Tuesday, members of the OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit, with the assistance of the Orillia Detachment Marine Unit, located the body of the 32-year-old missing man.

He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

"The weather conditions obviously play a big role rain as well as wind conditions make it difficult for visibility as the water is moving with more veracity we also have issues with temperature," said Boniface.

Sadly, there were two other drownings in the area over the past weekend.

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On Sunday, Bracebridge OPP and its underwater recovery unit recovered the body of a 31-year-old Toronto area man on Lake Muskoka near Taylor Island. Police say the man was kayaking at the time.

And on Saturday the body of an 81-year-old man was pulled from Meaford Harbour.

The police would like to remind everyone that the water temperature is still very cold and can pose a potential danger.