Drowned teen’s body found

The body of Peter Hildebrandt, 15, of the Mount Salem area was found by a local fisherman about 100 metres off of the pier in Port Burwell Wednesday afternoon, July 30.

He had been reported missing at about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 27 after he and three other boys were in the water off Port Burwell’s main public beach by the pier and experienced some difficulties when they came into a deeper section of water.

While the other three boys managed to make it back to the pier where they were assisted onto land by a man, Peter went under the water and drowned.

The Ontario Provincial Police Underwater Search and Recovery Unit from Orillia recovered Peter’s body and were assisted during the three-day search by Elgin County OPP along with firefighters from Central Elgin and Bayham.