Police divers pulled a second body out of the Moon River, hours after they resumed their search for three people who went missing after jumping into the rain-swollen river for a swim over the weekend.
The body was pulled from the water at around 1:25 p.m. Tuesday.
Another man's body was pulled from the water Tuesday morning, about 15 minutes after a team of eight Ontario Provincial Police divers began their search at around 9 a.m.
Police identified the victims as:
- Peter Ludian, 21, who had been visiting from Poland
- Vladimir Sirghi, 22, of Barrie
- Vladimir Tsimfer, 31, of Mississauga
OPP are still searching for Tsimfer's body.
The group of missing swimmers was part of a group of seven people who mainly resided in the Greater Toronto Area.
Four people managed to get out of the water safely with the assistance of some campers from Barrie, though two of the four nearly drowned. They were all taken to hospital for observation but were released Sunday night.
Police were forced to call off their search efforts for the other swimmers on Monday because of the water's strong undertow.
The water's currents over the weekend were faster than usual and its water level was elevated because of recent heavy rains. The combination served to create a whirlpool effect that trapped the seven swimmers, say witnesses.
Ontario Hydro and the Ministry of Natural Resources tried to slow the currents by regulating the water flow upstream but officials said Monday it would take about 24 hours to slow the current at the falls as the dam is located several kilometres away.
Moon River Falls is located in a semi-remote part of Ontario's cottage country and is about a two-hour drive north of Toronto. The waters of Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau and Lake Joseph flow out through the river.
Several friends and family members of the missing swimmers gathered at the side of the water over the weekend, waiting for news. A coroner was also at the scene.
With files from The Canadian Press
