Two men died after the first fell into a freezing cold canal and his carer attempted to save him.
A huge rescue operation was launched along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in the Abram area, near Crankwood Road, yesterday afternoon. Aaron Ritchie, 49, who was disabled, “was a loveable character who made a big impression on everyone who knew him”, his family said after the tragedy.
Police believe he fell into the water while walking along the towpath. His heroic carer, 60, dived in after him to try and save him – but both died.
Specialist teams recovered them from the canal at 2.15pm yesterday Despite medics battling to save them, both later passed away in hospital. One nearby local told the Independent: “They were walking. One of the men was quite elderly and fell in.
“It all happened behind the farm and is a very quiet stretch of the canal. My dad rushed down to see if he could help. We knew one man was dead and the other was taken to hospital. It’s so tragic.”
In a tribute to Aaron, his family expressed their condolences for his family. “It’s come as a complete shock to us as a family surrounding the tragic accident of what happened on Tuesday afternoon,” they said in a statement. “Aaron was a loveable character who made a big impression on everyone who knew him.
“Aaron had special needs and he loved the outdoor life and as long as he had his puzzles, laces and spinning tops he was happy. Aaron is surely going to be missed by us as a family.
“We would like to pass on our sincere condolences to his carers family and a special thank you to the emergency services who attended trying to save them.”
The next of kin of Aaron’s carer have been informed of his death. Officers are investigating the tragedy, but do not believe there to be any suspicious circumstances.
In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, a Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “At 2.15pm yesterday (Tuesday 28 November) Greater Manchester Police were called to reports of concerns for welfare at Crank Wood canal, Abram, Wigan.
“Specialist officers in a multi-agency emergency response attended the location, and two men aged 49 and 60 were taken to hospital for treatment. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, both men sadly passed away yesterday afternoon.
“Detectives believe that two men had entered the water and come into difficulty and at this time there are believed to be no suspicious circumstances, however, officers are currently working to establish the exact timeline of events leading up to this incident and enquiries remain ongoing.”
