Teen girl in critical condition after rescue from water at Britannia Beach

A 17-year-old girl was taken to hospital incritical condition after being rescued from the Ottawa River near Britannia Beach on Sunday, according to emergency services.

Police were called about people in distress in the waterjust after 7 p.m. Sunday.Police thencalled firefighters for help,Ottawa Fire Services said in a news release issued Monday morning.

Whenfirefighters arrived, lifeguards and civilians were searching for a swimmer whohad been underwater for about nine minutes.

Two other swimmers had already made it safely back to shore, the fire department said.

The fire crewlaunched awater rescue boat. Someone found the missing swimmer underwater, then a firefighter pulled them out and carried them to other firefighters who were waiting to start CPR.

Paramedics arrived and took the girl to hospital.

The fire departmentcommended the work of the lifeguards on duty at the beach, "whoquickly co-ordinated a search and rescue team to locate the missing swimmer," according to the release.

Ottawa's city beaches, which also include Mooney's Bay and Petrie Island, are supervised from 12 to 7 p.m. during the swimming season.