Ottawa resident rescued from Deschênes Rapids after jet ski fall
Fire crew rescued a jet ski rider from Deschênes Rapids Saturday evening with no injuries reported.
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Ottawa Fire Services pulled a person from the Ottawa River on Saturday after a jet ski accident near Deschênes Rapids. Multiple 911 calls reported someone in the water yelling for help just before 5 p.m. Firefighters arrived at Cassels Street and launched a watercraft to reach the person, who had fallen off a jet ski near the rapids. The rescue was completed at 5:08 p.m., and no injuries were reported.
This is the third water rescue in the area covered by HighOnCity in the past two months. On August 7, fire crews rescued two stranded paddleboarders from the same rapids. On August 13, kayakers without life jackets were pulled from the Ottawa River. On July 20, a boater was rescued after severe rain sank a vessel.
The Deschênes Rapids, located between Ottawa and Gatineau near Britannia Beach, have been the site of multiple rescues and drownings over the years. Narrow sidewalks in the surrounding Glebe neighbourhood make it difficult for emergency services to maintain constant access to the water. Fire Services does not yet publicly report year-over-year call volume for water rescues, leaving the full scope of the trend unclear.
The facts
When was the jet ski rider rescued from Deschênes Rapids?
Ottawa Fire Services rescued the jet ski rider on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at 5:08 p.m. after they fell into the water near Deschênes Rapids.
How many water rescues have occurred in this area in the past two months?
At least four water rescues have taken place in the Deschênes Rapids area in the past two months: the jet ski rider on September 5, two paddleboarders on August 7, kayakers on August 13, and a boater on July 20.
What challenges do emergency services face at Deschênes Rapids?
Narrow sidewalks in the surrounding Glebe neighbourhood make it difficult for emergency services to maintain constant access to the water at Deschênes Rapids.
