The following article is all the info I have to date. If any more news is released, I will post it here.
Thursday, May 8, 2003
Dive leader drowns
Accident on day off kills Kenora police officer
By TAMMY MARLOWE, STAFF REPORTER
Members of the Kenora Police Service are trying to come to grips with the shocking loss of their dive team leader who drowned yesterday afternoon while diving with a friend on his day off.
"The flags are definitely flying at half mast right now," a solemn deputy Chief Bruce Ponton said last night of Const. Jeff Ferguson. "Everybody's quite devastated by it -- it was quite a sad moment for all of us."
Although few details of the incident were made available, Kenora OPP Const. Sue Cain said the accident happened shortly after 2 p.m. as Ferguson and friend Dave Fraser, who owns Sunset Diving in Kenora, were trying to recover a vehicle that had sunk into Deception Bay on Lake of the Woods.
'QUITE A SHOCK'
Cain said Ferguson, a 30-year-old married father, was rushed to Lake of the Woods District Hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later.
Members of Ferguson's small platoon were on shift when they learned their dive master had died, Ponton said.
"He was on a day off and they were quite taken aback," he said. "It was quite a shock to the police service."
Ponton said Ferguson began his policing career in Lac Seul, Ont., near Sioux Lookout, and was hired by the Kenora detachment about six or seven years ago.
He was head of the unit's dive team and was about to be promoted to senior constable -- a distinction given to officers who have been on active duty for 10 years.
"He was a very good officer. He was well-liked by everybody, he always had a kind word to say," said Ponton. "He could always be depended upon."
Ferguson grew up in Eastern Canada, Ponton said, adding the officer and his wife, Rebecca, had two or three young children.
An autopsy is scheduled for today to determine the exact cause of his death.
Last night, several police officers and Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield didn't want to comment on the accident. Ponton said it was too early to say what kind of memorial will be held in honour of the fallen officer.
"We don't know what we'll do," he said.
The accident remains under investigation by the Kenora OPP and the provincial Ministry of Labour.
Thursday, May 8, 2003
Dive leader drowns
Accident on day off kills Kenora police officer
By TAMMY MARLOWE, STAFF REPORTER
Members of the Kenora Police Service are trying to come to grips with the shocking loss of their dive team leader who drowned yesterday afternoon while diving with a friend on his day off.
"The flags are definitely flying at half mast right now," a solemn deputy Chief Bruce Ponton said last night of Const. Jeff Ferguson. "Everybody's quite devastated by it -- it was quite a sad moment for all of us."
Although few details of the incident were made available, Kenora OPP Const. Sue Cain said the accident happened shortly after 2 p.m. as Ferguson and friend Dave Fraser, who owns Sunset Diving in Kenora, were trying to recover a vehicle that had sunk into Deception Bay on Lake of the Woods.
'QUITE A SHOCK'
Cain said Ferguson, a 30-year-old married father, was rushed to Lake of the Woods District Hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later.
Members of Ferguson's small platoon were on shift when they learned their dive master had died, Ponton said.
"He was on a day off and they were quite taken aback," he said. "It was quite a shock to the police service."
Ponton said Ferguson began his policing career in Lac Seul, Ont., near Sioux Lookout, and was hired by the Kenora detachment about six or seven years ago.
He was head of the unit's dive team and was about to be promoted to senior constable -- a distinction given to officers who have been on active duty for 10 years.
"He was a very good officer. He was well-liked by everybody, he always had a kind word to say," said Ponton. "He could always be depended upon."
Ferguson grew up in Eastern Canada, Ponton said, adding the officer and his wife, Rebecca, had two or three young children.
An autopsy is scheduled for today to determine the exact cause of his death.
Last night, several police officers and Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield didn't want to comment on the accident. Ponton said it was too early to say what kind of memorial will be held in honour of the fallen officer.
"We don't know what we'll do," he said.
The accident remains under investigation by the Kenora OPP and the provincial Ministry of Labour.
