Jet ski in deadly Lake St. Clair crash was pulling a tube, police say

Ontario Provincial Police say the personal watercraft involved in a fatal collision in Lake St. Clair was towing a tube.

The incident near Couture Beach in Lakeshore killed a 17-year-old local girl.

A 16-year-old girl also remains in hospital with critical injuries, while two other teenaged girls suffered non-life-threatening injuries. 

Police say it’s unknown at this time how many girls were on the jet ski and tube at the time.

According to authorities, it happened around 2 p.m. Thursday.

Nearby residents helped pull the girls out of the water.

‘She just hit the wall at top speed’

Marco Malizia saw the breakwall crash first hand.

He and his family are from Windsor and had rented a place near the water for a mini-getaway.

Malizia says he was watching his daughter’s fishing line when he saw a jet ski getting close to the shore so he started yelling out to them.

“I think the girl was turned around,” he said. “She was looking at … the inner tube … and she wasn’t looking at where she was riding in the front. I think she was worried about her friends and she came in too close and she just hit the wall at top speed. The watercraft came up over the edge … everything hit … it just happened very quickly.”

Marco Malizia, and his daughter Gracie helped rescue the teenage girls from the water. (Jennifer La Grassa/CBC)

Malizia’s daughter called 911 while he and others helped pull the girls out of the water until emergency crews arrived.

“Those poor kids were hoping to have some fun and … it was very tragic in the end. I tried my hardest just wish we could have done more.”

Malizia’s wife Marie Pusz also helped with the rescue. 

She says she’s heartbroken about what happened and sends her condolences, love and prayers to the affected families.

“I would do it all over again,” she said. “It’s an unfortunate situation. It’s an unfortunate event that happened, but if that was my daughter, I would want somebody to do the same.”

A view of Lake St. Clair and the land side of a breakwall in the Couture Beach area of Lakeshore. A personal watercraft struck the wall on Thursday killing a local teenage girl. (Jennifer La Grassa/CBC)

Transport Canada says during any towing activities you must have a spotter on the watercraft, with an empty seat for each person you are towing. 

“You may only tow persons with a personal watercraft made to carry three or more people,” the regulator states. 

If someone you tow is not wearing a life jacket or personal flotation device, the agency says you must have one on board.

A volunteer for Guardian Marine Rescue out of Belle River suggests boaters and people on personal watercrafts try and stay far enough from shore, when possible, to avoid danger. (Amy Dodge/CBC)

Tyler Burniston is a volunteer marine rescuer who was originally dispatched to assist, but eventually called off once other responders were able to get there. He’s part of Guardian Marine Rescue, which has boats in Colchester and Belle River.

He says no matter how shallow the lake can be, there aren’t many spots personal watercrafts can’t go.

According to Burniston, it’s important to try and stay far from shore, while possible, while operating any kind of watercraft.

“Even somebody that’s incredibly experienced out on the water, things are still going to happen. Not only staying away from shore, but also staying away from other boats, staying away from swimmers — all that.”