2-year-old rescued by RCMP officer after falling into Lake Okanagan

View from the pier in the village of Naramata of Okanagan Lake in an undated image. (Shutterstock)

A toddler was rescued by an off-duty officer in Naramata over the weekend after they accidentally fell into Lake Okanagan.

Mounties said a family was at a public beach in the lakeside community Saturday when, at about 2 p.m., the two-year-old fell into the water while walking along a dock.

Police said the young child "was having great difficulty staying afloat in the extremely cold water."

Even though one of the guardians jumped into the water, they also had difficulty with the strong current and low temperature of the water. An off-duty RCMP officer was nearby and heard the family calling for help.

"The officer, who's trained in speciality life-saving techniques, immediately took action by jumping into the lake," said Const. James Grandy in a news release Wednesday.

"The officer was able bring the two-year-old child safely back to shore. The guardian who had jumped in was able to swim back to shore on their own."

Police reminded locals and visitors that, even as the weather starts to warm up, the water in the lake can be cold and have strong currents.