10-year-old boy saves friend from drowning in icy Lake Ontario

A 10-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero after saving his friend from the icy waters of Hamilton Harbour.

It happened around 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Police say two friends ventured onto the docks on the east side of the Hamilton Bay Sailing Club when one of the boys slipped and fell into the water.

Members of the Hamilton Police ACTION team were patrolling the area at the time and noticed someone in the water.

When officers arrived, the child was almost fully submerged and his friend was holding onto him.

Police were able to quickly pull the child out of the water.

Hamilton EMS was called to assess the kids and both boys were cleared from needing further medical treatment.

Police are reminding residents to stay safe around bodies of water. “When water begins to freeze on rivers, lakes and other open bodies of water, it may look solid but it is often still dangerous,” said police in a news release.

Hamilton police have offered the following tips to keep you safe this winter.

• Although ice has begun to form on many local bodies of water, it’s too early in the season to consider recreational ice activities.
• The ice in most locations is too thin to safely support the weight of a person. Fluctuating temperatures and weather conditions make the ice unpredictable.
• At this point, we strongly advise that everyone stay off any frozen bodies of water in our area. Keep children close and pets on a leash, remaining on marked pathways/trails.
• Ice should be a minimum of 4″ thick before walking or skating on it. This guideline applies to clear hard ice only. Do not go out onto grey ice as this indicates the presence of water.
• If someone falls through thin ice, do not rush in after them. Call 911 immediately. You can try to reach for them with long objects like poles, branches, rope, or a hose.