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Man's body pulled from Montreal waters following sweeping search

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The body of a man in his 20s was pulled from the waters near Montreal's Verdun borough Friday evening.

A rescue team was called around 6:25 p.m. after a man went missing near Verdun beach, a popular swimming spot.

According to a city spokesperson, he was swimming about 200 metres from the beach, outside the designated area that is supervised by lifeguards.

Lifeguards and several citizens reportedly participated in the search immediately after his disappearance, but to no avail.

Around 8:30 p.m., the fire department's nautical team, with help from the coast guard, located his body. He was declared dead at the scene.

The Quebec Lifesaving Society says this is the 32nd drowning death of 2023.

While he couldn't comment on this incident specifically, executive director Raynald Hawkins said it's important to stay in the safe zone when swimming in natural bodies of water.

"If you want to be very safe, you have to swim and have your bathing activities inside those lines," he told CTV News.

"That's why, if we fix this swimming area, it's because this is a place where we have less current."

Verdun borough mayor Marie-Andrée Mauger addressed the tragedy on Facebook Saturday.

"The district does not have the authority to ban river swimming, but we recommend limiting swimming to the beach area during monitored hours, daily between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.," she wrote.

"On behalf of the council members, I offer my sincere condolences to the victim's relatives. A great loss in tragic circumstances."  

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