PARRY SOUND, Ont. - Investigators say they have "no explanation" for why a Toronto woman refused a life-jacket before drowning in Ontario cottage country.
The 67-year-old dentist, known as a "competent swimmer," was swimming near an island on Georgian Bay on Sunday night, Ontario Provincial Police Const. Charles Ostrom said Tuesday.
Another cottager who knew Ragna Bersenas thought her strokes were uncharacteristic -- "she was alternating from one stroke to another stroke," Ostrom said.
The person, who wasn't as good a swimmer as Bersenas, put on a life-jacket and went out to offer the woman a personal flotation device, but she wouldn't take it, he said.
The person returned in a boat a few minutes later, found Bersenas unresponsive in the water and took her to a nearby dock.
When officers and paramedics arrived on the island, people at the scene had already started CPR, police said.
Paramedics continued CPR both at the scene and on the police vessel as Bersenas was transported to a waiting ambulance.
She was pronounced dead at the West Parry Sound Health Centre later that evening.
A post-mortem performed Monday determined the cause of death was drowning.
"It was the fifth drowning in 24 days in the region," Ostrom said.
Ostrom said all of those who drowned were cottagers or visitors to the area and ranged in age from 22 to 67.
"None were wearing life-jackets," he said.
