RCMP have found the body of a 13-year-old girl in Cultus Lake, British Columbia, after a three-day search in the popular Fraser Valley swimming area. The police’s underwater recovery team located the teenager approximately 20 meters below the water’s surface on Monday at 2 p.m. PT.
The young girl, who was not wearing a life jacket, is believed to have experienced a medical emergency while on a paddleboard on Saturday and subsequently fell into the water, according to Chilliwack RCMP Cpl. Carmen Kiener, who described the incident as a tragic event that nobody anticipates when visiting the lake.
Following a report of a potential drowning on Saturday, authorities initiated a search operation for the missing teen. Search teams concentrated their efforts in the Entrance Bay region, where boaters and the public were urged to avoid due to poor visibility caused by heavy silt at the lake bottom. The case has now been handed over to the B.C. Coroners Service.
Chilliwack RCMP is urging the community to exercise caution around bodies of water. There has been a notable increase in accidental drownings in British Columbia this summer, with a reported 54% surge compared to the previous year.
Kiener noted that near-drowning incidents are also frequently reported at Cultus Lake. Shortly after recovering the 13-year-old girl, a man paddleboarding without a life jacket encountered distress in the water. Two individuals who came to his aid ended up needing rescuing themselves, requiring assistance from the RCMP.
In another recent lake incident, a man began to drown but was saved by bystanders and taken to the hospital for medical attention. Kiener emphasized the importance of being aware of the dangers associated with water activities and recommended the use of properly fitted life jackets, possessing adequate swimming skills, and avoiding swimming alone for safety.
