A man who was trying to help a boat passenger drowned in a lake in B.C.’s Okanagan over the weekend, local Mounties say.
Kelowna RCMP said it was called Saturday at about 7:30 p.m. about a drowning on Wood Lake.
Witnesses told Mounties that several boaters found two men in distress. While one man was rescued with a life jacket, the other man died.
Police said their preliminary investigation revealed the man who died was trying to assist someone else in the water.
"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased man," said Cpl. Judith Bertrand in a news release.
"We want to commend the people that assisted with the rescue efforts. Wearing and having easy access to life jackets made a significant difference in the outcome of this tragic event."
MORE THAN A DOZEN DROWNINGS IN B.C.
Dale Miller, executive director of Lifesaving Society B.C. and Yukon Branch, told CTV News Vancouver Sunday there have been 15 drownings so far this year in B.C.
"Every one of those 15 this year was preventable and each one tragic in its own way," he said.
Miller said it's "incredibly important" that kids are supervised and, if they're very young, within arm's reach.
Miller also said it's "critical" for those using floating toys on a lake or river to wear a personal flotation device, or PFD.
"A lot of times people will be non-swimmers, they think that inflatable is their lifeline," he said. "But if they fall off that and the wind drives it away, they're in trouble."
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