Festivalgoer's body found in Montreal's Olympic Basin

A view of the Olympic rowing basin in Montreal on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)

A 20-year-old man is dead after his body was found in the Olympic Basin on Île-Notre-Dame.

Montreal police (SPVM) received a 911 call at 7:45 p.m. Sunday after he disappeared under the water.

"The police asked for assistance from the firefighters to find the individual," said Julien Lévesque, a spokesperson with Montreal police.

The man's body was found shortly after, with initial reports stating he had drowned.

Osheaga festival organizer Evenko confirmed in a statement that the victim attended the music festival and died after leaving the site.

Evenko said in an emailed statement it is deeply saddened by the death and offered condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim.

The file has been transferred to the Coroner's office.

Police could not confirm why the man was in the basin, and investigators are working to determine the circumstances leading up to his death.

The Montreal Olympic Basin is a relic of the 1976 Games that still hosts rowing, canoeing and dragon boat competitions.

It runs alongside Île Notre-Dame, one of the two islands that make up Parc Jean-Drapeau.

The other island, Île Sainte-Hélène, hosted the Osheaga festival during the weekend.

-- with files from The Canadian Press.