Man injured by boat in jump off bridge

People jumping into the water off the bridge at Stanley Bridge on the North Shore of P.E.I. need to be more careful, says New London fire Chief Allen Cole.

Cole was on the fire department's rescue truck when it was called out Saturday at 6:30 p.m. A man in his 50s jumping off the bridge had struck a boat on the way down, he said.

"He went up and jumped off the bridge and there was a boat coming underneath just as he jumped," said Cole.

"He caught the edge of the boat. He didn't land right in the boat. He caught the edge of the boat and into the water."

Cole said the boat was a small pleasure craft.

Bridge jumping popular

When the fire department arrived the man had already been taken out of the water. Cole said he had injuries to both legs but he did not know how severe they were.

The man was taken to hospital by Island EMS.

There are people jumping off the bridge every day, said Cole, and boat traffic is increasing.

"I think they need to be a little more careful when they're jumping, for sure. There should be, at least, someone spotting boats," he said.

There are no warning signs posted at the bridge, he said.

More P.E.I. news