Emergency crews -including a dive team – were searching Slocan Lake Sunday morning after a canoeing accident Saturday.
Local RCMP have released the following information .
***
On Saturday May 10th at approximately 5:30 PM the Slocan Lake RCMP were notified of 2 people holding onto a partially submerged canoe in Slocan Lake.
The canoe was approximately 150 meters from shore. Slocan Lake Search and Rescue, with assistance of the BC Ambulance Service and Slocan Lake Fire Department were immediately dispatched to the scene.
The responders located an unconscious female inside the canoe, however, could not locate the other 2 people. Local enquires determined that 4 young people, ranging in age from 16-21 had departed from New Denver and planned to canoe to Roseburry on the far side of Slocan Lake, a distance of approximately 6 kms.
The female was taken to the New Denver medical center, however, passed away over night. The search for the remaining 3 people was suspended last night due to darkness.
At 6:00 AM Search and Rescue along with the RCMP Dive Team and Air Service re-commenced the search in a effort to locate the remaining 3 people.
The conditions at the time of the incident were good and the water was calm, however, Slocan Lake is extremely cold.
The lake is estimated to be approximately 250 feet deep where the canoe submerged.
None of the people were wearing life jackets and police cannot confirm if there were any in the canoe at the time.
Three of the youths were from the New Denver area the other from Gibsons.
