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Trail-blazing Canadian AIDS researcher Mark Wainberg died suddenly in Florida following a swimming incident in Bal Harbour near Miami.

According to the Bal Harbour Police Department, Wainberg had difficulties in the water Tuesday afternoon. His son had lost sight of him in the water and swam out to get him, said police acting chief Mike De La Rosa. His son brought him to shore, where police and first responders performed CPR. He was taken to hospital where he was declared dead.

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It is not clear what malaise had affected Wainberg in the water, De La Rosa said.

Wainberg, 71, was the director of the McGill University AIDS Centre at the Jewish General Hospital and past president of the International AIDS Society.

Officials at the Jewish General Hospital will not be commenting until Thursday, said Tod Hoffman, of the centre’s public relations.

“We haven’t been able to get in contact with the family — we can’t confirm because of the Passover holiday. They are still in Florida, that’s my understanding,” Hoffman said. However, news of Wainberg’s death has spread through the research community.