By Angelica Ingram

Published May 3 2016

Cold water and a lack of personal flotation devices were factors in two men losing their lives in the waters of Eagle Lake last week.
On Monday April 25 OPP EMS and firefighters were called to the lake just after 5 p.m. when two canoes capsized.

While some of the canoeists were able to make it to shore two men did not return.
On Tuesday April 26 their bodies were recovered by the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit who were called in to assist the Emergency Response Team.
The men were identified as 24-year-old Kajan Kalapahan and 21-year-old Lingavijithan Kirupanayagam both from Toronto.

According to OPP Const. Sean Hawley of the Haliburton Highlands detachment the group were in the area staying at a rented cottage on Eagle Lake.
“There was two in each canoe” he said adding the two that made it to shore were wearing PFDs.

Hawley said it was one of the group members who called 9-1-1. He could not confirm whether or not alcohol was involved and could not speculate on whether the canoes crashed into each other.
When asked if the temperature of the water impacted the canoeists who drowned Hawley said he believed it did.
“That and they’re not wearing life jackets.”