Driver pulled from icy waters of Toronto's Keating Channel dies in hospital, police say

An 18-year-old man who was submerged in icy waters for hours after a head-on collision Saturday morning sent his vehicle into Keating Channel has died in hospital, Toronto police say.

Emergency crews received a call for a crash in the area of Lake Shore Boulevard and Cherry Street at 8:43 a.m.

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According to police, a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee being driven by the 18-year-old was travelling west on Lake Shore Boulevard when he lost control and struck an eastbound 2023 Ford F150.

Police said the Jeep subsequently left the road and plunged through three inches of ice on Keating Channel, a 1,000-metre waterway near the mouth of the Don River.

Crews arrived and initiated a rescue operation to save the driver.

“Significant efforts were made by Emergency Services on scene along with the cooperation from tow truck operators to extricate the vehicle,” police said.

Emergency crews work to retrieve a car that crashed through the ice into the Keating Channel in Toronto, on Saturday Jan. 20, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Arlyn McAdorey

At 12:24 p.m., crews removed the vehicle, but the driver was not inside, police said. About 50 minutes later, a person believed to be the driver was pulled out of the waters.

Crews immediately performed life-saving measures on the victim before transporting him to the hospital in life-threatening condition.

In an update just before 5 p.m., police said the driver had been pronounced dead.

Meanwhile, the driver of the Ford, a 32-year-old man, was also transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said an investigation by members of Traffic Services is ongoing.

They ask anyone with information, including security or dash camera footage of the area or incident, to contact investigators at 416-808-1900 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or www.222tips.com.