KANSAS CITY, Mo — Two Kansas City-area men are dead after separate drowning incidents Saturday.
The first, a 23-year-old, drowned in a pond off Missouri 150 Highway when his canoe capsized. The second, a 33-year-old, drowned at the Lake of the Ozarks.
Incidents like these are a reminder of how unpredictable and dangerous open water can be.
Meha Asir has been teaching kids to swim for four years now. She's an American Red Cross certified lifeguard, but even she said she continues to be cautious.
"There’s a reason why open water swimming and swimming in a pool ... are separate sports in the Olympics," Asir said. "People don’t realize how easy it is to drown. It can happen so fast you don’t even realize."
In the drowning incident at the pond, the victim was not wearing a life vest.
"You’d imagine with all the swim safety things you’d see around in media, and even in schools, that this could be preventable," Asir said.
Asir told KSHB swimmers should be wary around bodies of water where one can't see the bottom, as one could hit their head or get tied up.
Above all, Asir said supervision is key.
"It doesn’t even have to be a lifeguard, just a parent or a friend, someone that you know can be dependable and can either swim or call for help," Asir said.
It doesn't matter how skilled or strong someone is, Asir said safety must always come first.
KSHB 41 reporter Caroline Hogan covers development in the Kansas City-metro. If you have a story idea to share, send an email to Caroline.
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