Drowned canoeist found and identified

An 18-year-old woman who drowned after a canoeing mishap in Lake St. Clair, near Puce, has been found.

Police recovered Amy Wagner's body from the water Monday afternoon.

OPP said she was located intwo metres of water, 500 metres off shore, in the area where she was last seen by witnesses Sunday afternoon.

The coroner's office will be ordering an autopsy.

Police are still investigating.

"This tragedy has been devastating to our family, and we can only hope that our loss will teach other kids to think ahead and make better choices. Amy will be deeply mourned by all who loved her," he sister Sarah said on behalf of the family.

Wagner was a Grade 12 student at St. Joseph's Catholic high school in Windsor.

Cathy Geml, associate director of education for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board saida psychologist, social worker, campus minister, guidance counsellors and school administrators will be made available to grieving students.

The school will not openthis week but Geml said if astudent requires some support, they can contact the school board.

The boat tipped over around noon Sunday. The water was just morethan a metre deep. A 20-year-old male also went into the water.

Police said both tried to walk approximately 400 metres back to shore but they were not wearing life jackets and the water temperature was 2 C.

"The contributing factor here, I'd say, was the temperature of the water. Hypothermia can kick in within minutes," OPP Sgt. Rick Tonial said.

The man made it to shore and was treated for hypothermia.

The temperature outside at the time was approximately 15 C.

"Combine the two of them and you don't have much of a chance of staying away from hypothermia without getting some help right away," Tonial said of the air and water temperatures.

Police were on the scenethree minutes after the call came in and Coast Guard helicopters and boats continued searching until 7 p.m. Sunday.

Tonial said when police arrived, the female could not be seen from shore.

Police said neighbours living along Lillydale Road in Lakeshore commandeered a boat to help in the search.