Two passengers travelling across the St. Lawrence River near Cornwall, Ont., drowned when their Sea-Doo watercraft capsized Wednesday, in what law enforcement is calling an alleged human smuggling attempt.
Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service says the two men who died may have entered Canada from India.
A third passenger was rescued from the water, and the driver of the Sea-Doo also survived.
The two victims were “believed to have been attempting illegal entry into the United States from Canada,” according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protections.
The driver of the Sea-Doo is a 36-year-old man from Snye, Que. He has been charged with:
- two counts of criminal negligence causing death,
- one count of conspiracy to commit an indictable offense, and
- one count of breach of probation.
The CBP said it was supporting the Akwesasne Mohawk Police, RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency, and was “actively pursuing information to apprehend those individuals who may have been attempting to facilitate smuggling activity into the United States.”
