Boater dies under ice

Published: Wednesday, 23 December 2009

A BOATER lost his life when he fell from his narrowboat on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and was lost under the ice.

The man slipped from the stern of his boat Hamlet that was moored on the canal at Haskayne near Ormskirk, Alan Tilbury reports.

On hearing the sticken cries of the the boater's wife, other boat owners rushed to the scene,  desperately smashing the ice in the hope of reaching the man, but were unable to find any trace of him.

The police frogmen were called in, with a officer from Lancashire Police  telling that the Underwater Search Unit found the body of a man underneath the narrowboat.

A spokesman stated:

"At this time, there are no suspicious circumstances or any evidence of third party involvement and this would appear to be a tragic accident."