Frontenac OPP officers responded to a call on September 4, 2024, after residents reported an empty boat drifting on Knowlton Lake around 1:45 p.m. Local residents also discovered clothing floating in the water and a vehicle parked at the boat launch. An investigation revealed that the boat’s owner, an 80-year-old man from Napanee, was missing after attempting to launch the vessel.
The OPP Marine Unit and South Frontenac Fire and Rescue were called in to assist in the search. Just after 3:00 p.m., Marine Unit officers located the man’s body a short distance from the boat launch. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The investigation is ongoing with the assistance of the Ontario Coroners Office. The unattended boat and vehicle were recovered from the lake.
Written by Tim Baltz