Rescue effort claims lives of three family members 

Nicolas Saillant

Three members of the same family drowned Saturday evening trying to save their children who fell into the Wapishish River. The family had rented a cabin there for the weekend. (Karl Smith /QMI AGENCY)

SAINT-FULGENCE, QUE - Three members of the same family drowned Saturday evening trying to save their children who fell into the Wapishish River, about 300 km north of Quebec City.

The three victims - two brothers and one of their wives -- are all in their 30s and from Chicoutimi, Que., about 200 km north of Quebec City.

The two families had rented a chalet near the river for the weekend.

A six-year-old boy and his eight-year-old cousin were playing with a rubber duck at the river's edge when the toy fell into the water around 6 p.m. Saturday.

The boys went in to try and retrieve it and their fathers jumped into the river after them.

The eight-year-old's father was able to pull his son out of the water but jumped back in to try and save his brother and nephew.

The mother of the six-year-old also entered the river.

Provincial police spokeswoman Helene Nepton said the mother of the eight-year-old got life-jackets and was able to save the other child.

The two fathers and the six-year-old's mother did not make it out of the water.

The woman's body was pulled out of the river Saturday evening. The bodies of the two fathers were found early Sunday morning.

The victim's identities were not released as of Sunday evening.

Provincial police said the currents in the region's rivers were particularly strong after the area received heavy rainfall in the past few days.