Man drowns trying to rescue two dogs

Cane Celso Massive (felipe)

A CARETAKER has drowned while trying to rescue two dogs from a canal.

Quintion Craig Livingston, 34, is thought to have either fallen, or he may have dived, into the deepwater canal at Sea Breeze Lane to try to reach two pedigree Cane Corso dogs at around 6.15pm on Monday.

Moments later neighbours heard the man's cry for help and saw him desperately splashing about in the water.

A woman who rushed to assist said she sent her two sons in their kayak to help, but when Mr Livingston, of Sixth Street, The Grove, tried to grab hold of the kayak he was too weak to hold on, and he sank below the surface of the water.

The young men pulled Mr Livingston from the canal while neighbours called for an ambulance and tried to resuscitate him. Medics took over when they arrived but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The dogs, which are thought to belong to Mr Livingston's employer, were rescued and survived the ordeal.

Assistant Superintendent Felix Beneby, of the Elizabeth Estates division, said: "Police arrived to find neighbours trying to assist him by performing CPR and the ambulance crew continued to perform CPR as they took him away, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

"Mr Livingston is believed to have gone in to rescue the dogs and then he experienced some challenges.

"He was assisted from the water by neighbours who saw him struggling, sent for an ambulance, and tried to assist.

"Police were told he was a caretaker for one of the residents, and looked after the property, but we have not confirmed whether the dogs belonged to the owner."

Any information which may assist police investigations should be reported to the Central Detective Unit on 502-9991 or the Elizabeth Estates police station on 364-8996. Or call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 328-TIPS (8477).

By MEGAN REYNOLDS from The Tribune