Man found dead in Lake Ontario near Mississauga after becoming distressed while swimming

A man died after he became distressed while swimming in Lake Ontario along the Mississauga waterfront on Wednesday afternoon.

A man died after he became distressed while swimming in Lake Ontario along the Mississauga waterfront on Wednesday afternoon.

Peel Regional Police (PRP) said they received multiple reports of a distressed swimmer near the Lakefront Promenade area in the city's Lakeview neighbourhood shortly before 4 p.m.

The PRP marine unit and Mississauga Fire crews were dispatched to the area and began a search of the bay. The swimmer, believed to be a man in his 60s, was found dead shortly before 6 p.m., police say.

“Preliminary information that we have at this time is that across the way at RK [McMillan] Park, there's a gazebo structure where many people picnic, and it's believed that the male swam from there across the bay here, and on his return back at some point was in a state of distress,” said PRP Media Relations Officer Tyler Bell-Morena.

“That's where he was last seen and went under the water.”

Bell-Morena says police believe the man was swimming alone.

It’s unclear what caused the man to become distressed, Bell-Morena said. However, he says police haven’t ruled out the possibility that the man had a medical episode.