GRAVENHURST, ON- A woman from Erin drowned in the Sparrow Lake area over the weekend.
According to police, the woman was 53 year old Kathy Venneman, who had been swimming with friends and failed to surface.
The incident took place near Morrison Landing, along the Trent-Severn Waterway, around 3:45 p.m. on Saturday. Venneman slipped under the water and failed to surface, and her friends began what was described as a “frantic” search.
They were assisted by multiple bystanders while emergency services was contacted. Members of the OPP’s Underwater Search and Recovery Unit and the Marine Unit from the Orillia detachment responded to the scene and launched a formal search until dark.
The search was suspended overnight, and resumed this morning. At 1:04 p.m., Venneman’s body was recovered.
According to CTV Barrie, police have said that Venneman was not wearing a life jacket.
The outlet is also reporting that Venneman’s body has been given to the coroner for an autopsy, and alcohol is not believed to have played a role in the incident.
