Three friends died in a devastating boating accident in Ontario, Canada, which remains under investigation.
The trio died after a speedboat collided with their fishing boat in the Buck’s Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of the city of Kingston, on the evening of May 18.
The victims were between 21 and 23 years old and were identified as Kaila Bearman, Juliette Côté and Riley Orr.
In the wake of their deaths, friends and loved ones took to social media to post touching tributes.
Canadian police have identified Juliette Côté (pictured) as one of three young adults killed in a boating accident on Bobs Lake in Ontario
The victims also included Kaila Bearman (pictured), whose name was released days after the May 18 crash
Riley Orr, 23, also died in the crash, which sent five other people to hospital with injuries of varying severity
Orr, 23, was from South Frontenac and attended Sydenham High School. He was an avid student-athlete who played sports throughout his youth, including minor football with the Syndenham Bulldogs and baseball with the Kingston Thunder.
Before his death, Orr worked at Creekside Bar and Grill in South Frontenac.
“Too many memories of fishing, skating, swimming in the pool, manhunting around the neighborhood and community gatherings,” a friend wrote. ‘I was lucky to know you as a friend. You will be missed by many. Gone far too soon, my friend.’
“How I will always remember this boy,” another friend wrote alongside a photo of Orr lying in the snow as a child. “Too many memories to count…lucky to have grown up with you and known you as a friend. You will be missed by many.’
Bearman and Côté also graduated from high schools in the Limestone School District. Bearman was a graduate of Regiopolis-Notre Dame High School and played volleyball and soccer, while Côté was a graduate of LaSalle Secondary School and played field hockey and soccer.
“Rest in peace angel,” a close friend wrote under a photo of herself and Bearman, who was described as a close friend. ‘Take care of each other up there.’
Another woman shared a selfie of herself and Côté and wrote: ‘Give heaven some hell babes, we will never forget.’
At the time of her death, Côté was working with her mother, Alison, at a family interior design business called Côté Co.
Charges have yet to be filed as an investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police (pictured at the scene) is ongoing
Bearman (left) and Orr (right) were killed when a speedboat collided with their fishing boat
Côté (pictured) was working at a family interior design business, Côté Co., at the time of her death.
Kingston-based contractor Matt Splinter (pictured) owned the speedboat involved in the crash
Five other people, ages 21 to 44, were taken to a local hospital after the crash, including one who was transported by air ambulance. Others were examined at the scene by Frontenac County paramedics.
A red speedboat with the inscription ‘Y Wouldn’t Ya’ was able to be stacked on top of the wreck as it was towed ashore.
That boat’s owner, Matt Splinter, a Kingston contractor, had announced his intention to put the boat on the water just days before the fatal crash.
‘My girl and I are going out tomorrow morning for the first trip of the season! The driftwood is gone and it’s time to put down the damn hammer!’ Splinter wrote in a May 12 Facebook post. The account has now been deleted.
A police spokesperson said charges have yet to be filed as the investigation is ongoing, and discouraged the public from speculating about factors involved in the crash.
‘It’s a terrible situation. There were still people in the water when first responders arrived,” Bill Dickson, spokesperson for the Ontario Provincial Police, said in a video on X, formerly Twitter.
He concluded the message with a plea to respect the privacy of the victims’ families.
