Man drowns in North Vancouver lake
A 26-year-old man drowned in North Vancouver’s Rice Lake Saturday afternoon.
Firefighters got a call around 3:30 p.m. for a water rescue at the lake, District of North Vancouver Asst. Chief Dwayne Derban told CTV News.
The man was “a little ways off the beaten track,” and it took some time for crews to get to him, he said.
Two firefighters went up the trail to the north side of the lake, where they spotted a group of people on a rock 100 metres away from the shore, he said.
According to a witness, the man was under water for about two minutes.
The first responders swam out to the rock, where the drowning victim was receiving chest compressions from a friend and a bystander who swam out to help, Derban said.
A firefighter then put a floatation device on the victim and swam him back to shore.
BCEHS arrived and performed CPR for about an hour, but were unable to revive the man.
“This lake is more of a fishing lake, definitely not a swimming lake,” Derban said. “If you do swim, make sure you know your capacity. If you have any doubts, make sure you wear a life preserver.”
He said overestimating your swimming abilities is not only a danger to your own safety. “The reality is when you do that, it’s not only yourself you’re putting at risk, it’s your friends, it’s bystanders, it’s professional rescue crews who have to come.”
Last month, North Vancouer RCMP released a water safety warning as summer-like weather arrived early in the city.
“With the beautiful and sunny weather we’ve had lately, we wanted to take time and remind North Van residents to tread carefully when spending time around the water,” said Cst. Mansoor Sahak in the release.
“It is vitally important to be mindful of areas of fast-flowing water and strong currents, even if you do not plan on getting wet. Slippery rocks, drop-offs and unseen debris can lead to potentially dangerous situations,” he continued.
Mounties gave safety tips including wearing a life jacket, staying out of the water if you can’t swim, letting someone know before you go to a lesser-travelled area and not drinking alcohol before getting in water.
The man’s death comes after a toddler was hospitalized after nearly drowning in Cultus Lake earlier this week.
According to the Lifesaving Society of BC and Yukon, a charity aimed at preventing drowning deaths, this was the seventh drowning in B.C. this year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.