United Utilities is warning people not to swim in reservoirs and lakes after two men drowned, in unrelated incidents yesterday, (5 June) in reservoirs in Bolton and Gorton.
The water company said it will continue to raise awareness of the dangers of reservoirs following the tragedies. It works with emergency services and schools to educate people about the risks.
Crews were first called at 2.03pm on Tuesday to reports of a male getting into difficulty while swimming in High Rid reservoir, Bolton.
Firefighters from Bolton North and Horwich arrived at the scene in minutes and set about searching the water’s edge. With no signs of a person, water rescue units searched the surface of the lake while an air ambulance provided aerial support.
After two hours of searching the body of a 19-year-old man was located by the water incident team which was then recovered by police divers.
Then at 4.10pm, two fire engines from Gorton, along with specialist appliances from Heywood and Ashton-under-Lyne were called to reports of a male underwater in Gorton Reservoir.
Firefighters arrived and used a buoyancy aid and safety line to search the reservoir but were unable to locate the man.
The police underwater rescue units found the body of the 18-year-old nearly two and a half hours after the initial search began.
Greater Manchester Police said there were no suspicious circumstances regarding the deaths of the men. They are believed to have been swimming in the reservoirs during the hot weather.
Sian Corr, health and safety manager at United Utilities, said: “Every year we do our best to get the message across and stress the risk people are taking when they ignore the warning signs and choose to take a dip in a reservoir.
“We will continue to raise awareness, but it is so sad that the tragedies keep on happening. Our thoughts are with the families affected.”
Paul Etches, head of prevention at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said: “These are two incredibly sad incidents that could have so easily been avoided, and our thoughts first and foremost are with the families of those who have lost their lives.
“Water can be tempting, especially in the warm weather but do not take the risk. Reservoirs and lakes are incredibly dangerous and hide many tricky and unknown hazards like rocks, shopping trolleys and broken bottles and especially in reservoirs there is often machinery working beneath the surface which can cause people real trouble.”
Research by United Utilities reveals 33 per cent of people would consider swimming in open water while 7 per cent said they would be swayed by peer pressure to swim in open water.
The news follows the death of a 36-year-old man from Kendal who was pulled from the water at Ormsgill reservoir in Cumbria on Friday 1 June. The reservoir is not owned by United Utilities.