A five-year-old boy was at the Jean Drapeau park this morning when he nearly drowned. He was found unconscious in the water just before 11 a.m. Montreal police say the child is now in hospital where he is in critical but stable condition.

He was on a trip to the beach with his day camp. Camp monitors found him at the bottom of the lake.

Lifeguards immediately tried to revive him, but it was paramedics who successfully resuscitated  the boy en route to hospital.

Bob Lamle with Urgences Santé said they believe he was under the water for four to six minutes.
 
Park officials say that the child to adult supervisory ratio was respected and there were enough lifeguards to supervise the group.

There were over 20 camp monitors at the beach with the group, but officials could not explain how the boy slipped to the bottom of the water without anyone noticing.