HUMBOLDT, SASK. — The mayor of a Saskatchewan city says two girls fell through the ice on a lake and family members died trying to save them.
RCMP said two men and one of the girls died after going into the water of Humboldt Lake on Saturday afternoon.
"The children were out on the ice and fell through," said Michael Behiel, the mayor of Humboldt.
"The mother and the two males raced to rescue them."
RCMP said witnesses saw five people go into the water. Behiel said the mother used a kayak to pull one of the girls out while the two men raced into the water.
The woman and the girl were taken to a nearby hospital. The other girl was pronounced dead at the scene.
The two men did not resurface. An underwater recovery team went to the lake Sunday and found the men's bodies.
RCMP said it was not a criminal matter and the Saskatchewan Coroners Service had taken over the investigation.
The small city located 113 kilometres east of Saskatoon has a population of just over 6,000 and Behiel said "everybody knows everybody."
"They are well known," he said. "They have had roots in the community for many, many years."
Behiel said the people in Humboldt will band together while they mourn alongside the family.
He said the community developed resilience and kinship after the Humboldt Broncos crash, where 16 people died and 13 were injured after a transport truck went through a stop sign and into the path of a bus carrying the Saskatchewan junior hockey team on April 6, 2018.
The mayor said it's important that people stay safe, especially this time of year when the ice hasn't thickened. He said people should think twice before going on the ice.
"If you don't have to, don't do it."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2023.
The Canadian Press
