Two weeks after a terrifying incident described as “like a scene from Jaws,” Jean-Doré beach at Jean-Drapeau park is operating business as usual.
It’s a surprise for beachgoers and for the father of an eight-year-old who was attacked there and who is asking that more be done to inform people of the potential danger.
“Something that lets us know that there are living things in that water and we can kind of make a more informed decision about whether or not we want to go in there, particularly with small children,” George Mandl said.
In the last week of June, eight-year-old Max Mandl says he was playing in the water, in the Aquazilla section, when things took a bad turn.
“It was really fun until the fish bite happened, with the muskie,” Max said.
Max Mandl shows the injuries he sustained during a swim at Jean-Doré beach at the end of June 2024. Courtesy Mandl family.
A muskie is a large fish with sharp teeth that shouldn’t be in a man-made lake, such as Jean-Doré.
The boy was sent to hospital, bleeding and in need of stitches with what looked like bites from sharp fangs.
The park says it opened an investigation into the matter and is working with experts to figure out what happened.
While it’s not yet confirmed what attacked Max, his dad says he’s torn. He says fishing experts have told him another attack by a muskie is very unlikely but he believes more should be done by the park.
“I personally wouldn’t take my own child there, but everyone can choose their own level of comfort,” Mandl said.
Aquazilla at Jean-Doré beach is where Max Mandl was playing when he was mysteriously injured in late June.
Courtesy Mandl family
Some beachgoers Global News spoke to weren’t too worried, believing the incident was a one-off and unlikely to happen again.
Other swimmers, however, felt like they would have liked some warnings and even some recommendations in order to be able to assess the risk.
A spokesperson for the park says the investigation is ongoing and for now, there are no new details to share.
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