Mother, two sons drown in swimming mishap

(Updated Aug. 5)

A woman who rushed into a lake near Repulse Bay on Aug. 3 to save her two struggling sons lost her life, along with theirs.

RCMP Cpl. Shayne Courtorielle said the bodies of the two boys, aged 11 and eight, were in swimming trunks when they were recovered from Old Water Lake, about three km from the community, at about 8:30 p.m.

The 29-year-old mother, who is originally from Igloolik, was found still fully clothed, he said, and with her shoes still tied on.

In deference to family wishes, police would not release the names of the victims, who apparently drowned in mid-afternoon on a warm, sunny day. Courtorielle noted the temperature had been 19 degrees at 3 p.m.

He speculated the mother may have rushed into the water to rescue her sons after they ran into trouble while swimming, then found herself in trouble too.

The woman had taken her four sons, aged 11, eight, six and four, to the lake to swim. Family members became concerned when the two youngest boys returned home on their own, saying they had lost their mother by the lake.

Still, the family did not yet suspect the worst. They sent out a two-way radio message, telling the woman her sons had returned without her, and asking her to call in.

When she did not respond, they went out to the small lake to first walk the shore, then return with boats. They also called police.

At about 8:30, just as police arrived, searchers discovered the bodies close together in the lake.

Courtorielle said some other youngsters who had been swimming in the same lake at about 5 p.m. reported the water was fine and warm. They had not noticed anything unusual, he said, although the bodies were probably in the lake at that time.

The community held a memorial service on the evening of Aug. 4 for the three victims, while the father, a Repulse native, accompanied the bodies back to the mother’s home town of Igloolik.

Community members will also erect three wooden crosses at the lakeshore near where the bodies were found.

Courtorielle said there was no reason to suspect the tragedy was anything other than an accident.