Boats collide, killing 77-year-old woman

A 77-year-old woman is dead after two boats collided outside Trout Lake, N.W.T., Wednesday afternoon.

An 18 foot Lund boat and a jet boat travelling towards each other on Island River collided at about 4:30 p.m., say RCMP.

The woman, a 73-year-old man and an eight-year-old girl were aboard the Lund. The woman was revived by CPR at the river but later died at the communitys medical clinic.

The 46-year-old driver of the jet boat was medevaced to Yellowknife with non-life-threatening injuries.

All were residents of Trout Lake, a community with a population of about 100.

RCMP are investigating. Police don't knowyet if the occupants of the boats were wearing life-jackets or if alcohol was involved.

"The investigators will want to talk to anybody who might have seen what happened or have some information to contribute," said RCMP Staff Sgt. Brad Kaeding.

"There is also a matter of co-ordinating the investigation with other agencies who do have some responsibility for overseeing boating activities. So the investigators will be consulting with those experts to see if there's any need to have a physical examination of the boats, for example."

The Fort Simpson detachment is reminding boaters to carry all safety equipment on board as required by the Small Vessel Regulations, including life-jackets for everyone on board, and that alcohol or drugs and boating dont mix.