Body recovered in search for missing teenage swimmer at Port Stanley

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Two days after a teenage swimmer went missing, provincial police have recovered a body from Lake Erie, according to the organizer of an online fundraiser launched in support of the 14-year-old’s family.

The fundraising page states the family was told that a body was found near Port Stanley’s main beach Tuesday afternoon – more than 48 hours after a London teen visiting the beach with his family went under and didn’t resurface. The fundraiser identifies the boy as Omar Boz.

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“What started as a beautiful family outing to the beach of Port Stanley . . . ended in tragedy for a young immigrant family new to London,” the organizer writes, adding that after the body’s recovery “the family is completely devastated.”

It was about 2:30 p.m. Sunday when two brothers, 14 and 17, waded into the surf and began struggling. Their father made a desperate attempt to save them, a family friend said, and lifeguards were able to save the dad and older boy.

The friend told The Free Press the missing boy, who he identified only as Omar, had recently graduated Grade 8 from London’s Emily Carr elementary school and planned to attend Mother Teresa secondary school this fall. His family moved here from Syria one year ago, the friend said.

Local fire officials confirmed a body was recovered Tuesday afternoon. As word spread, it prompted an outpouring of condolences on social media.

“So so sorry to the family. R.I.P. Now they can have closure,” wrote Diana Freeman-Francis.

Janice Burns, another Facebook user, wrote: “Prayers first off go out to the family in the loss of their son. I would like to thank the recovery team who worked so very hard to recover the boy (and) to all volunteers who also helped.”

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