Boy, 8, nearly drowns at rural culvert

An eight-year-oldboy remains in critical condition after being sucked into a water-filled culvert on a Hutterite colony near Portage la Prairie, Man.

Samuel Gross, along with friends, was playing Thursday evening near the opening ofthe culvert and was pulled underby the force of the flowing water, RCMP said.

The youngster is a resident of the Westroc Colony, about 35 kilometres northwest of Portage la Prairie.

Gilbert Gross, who arrived on the scene after Samuel's friends went for help, said theboy was unresponsive after he was pulled from the culvert.

"I wasn't really panicky, but you could tell right away that he was at no time responding. He was very blue in the face, right when we pulled him out of the water. But after a few minutes of CPR, his colour did come back some."

An air ambulance arrived at the colony 45 minutes later and the boy wasflown to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg.

Samuel, described by relatives as shy and responsible, was playing beside the creekthat runs through the colony when the accident occurred. It appears he slipped on ice and fell into the creek, which always runs high this time of year.

"If he does survive, it will be nothing short of a miracle," Gilbert Gross said. "But it's one of those things. It's tough. But if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains."

Gilbert Gross said if it wasn't for the speed and professionalism of ambulance staff, he doubts Samuel would still be fighting for his life.

Amidthe threat of floodingand fast-moving water in many parts of southern Manitoba, RCMP warned peopleto stay away from ice-covered lakes, ponds, rivers, flooded sectionsand any areaswhere water is being diverted byculverts and drainage ditches.

During Manitoba's "Flood of the Century" in 1997, Adam Young, 14, of Winnipeg was killed when he was caught and drowned ina storm sewer.

Police closed St. Mary's Road south of Winnipeg on Friday to preventonlookers from converging on the Red River Floodway opening where crews were working to break ice jams.

Emergency crews were later called to that site when the operator of an ice-breaking machine slipped into the river. The operator was reportedly cold, but uninjured.