'We will miss you forever': Man found dead near Shambhala festival identified online as crew member

Steve Shortridge, has been identified online as the man who drowned in Salmo, B.C. Monday (Image credit: Shambha Steve/Facebook)

The man who was found dead in a river in Salmo, B.C., as the popular Shambhala Music Festival was wrapping up Monday, is being remembered as “wonderful” and “full of love and energy.”

His body was discovered by a pair of divers who had been hired by the festival to recover litter from the river, police said.

Salmo RCMP said the divers brought the man onto shore and tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead after life-saving efforts were unsuccessful.

“At this time, the man appeared to have drowned, with no foul play suspected,” Cpl. James Grandy with B.C. RCMP wrote.

He has been identified as a 43-year-old from Calgary, Alta., but his name has not been released by police.

Police said they haven’t confirmed if the deceased was part of the music festival.

However, social media users have identified the man who drowned as Steve Shortridge, a member of Shambhala’s crew who has been attending for several years.

“We all loved him so much,” a friend of Shortridge's told CTV News in an email. “He had such a big heart and radiant smile.”

His death prompted a wave of online tributes from others who knew him.

“If you knew Steven at all you know how much he loved Shambhala and how much he contributed over the years at the stages. Please keep his memory alive and take care of each other,” a friend wrote on Reddit.

“We love you Steven and we will miss you forever.”'

CTV News has reached out to Shambhala Music Festival and the RCMP for comment, and will update this story if a response is received.