A Canada Day trip to a popular Abbotsford swimming spot turned deadly Wednesday after a young man became separated from his friends and drowned.
Abbotsford Police, Abbotsford Fire Rescue and BC Ambulance rushed to Albert Dyck Park at 8:20 p.m. after receiving a call about a possible drowning.
Police say three friends were playing in the water near the shoreline but a 20-year-old man “disappeared from the sight of his friends.”
He did not know how to swim.
“Although the group remained close to the shoreline, that area of the lake drops off considerably,” Const. Ian MacDonald said.
The trio was in an area where there are no lifeguards and signs advising people not to swim.
Beachgoer Kelly Lochbaum said a girl in the group told him none of them knew how to swim.
“I guess he went under but instead of the two friends yelling for help they just kept looking under the water for him,” Lochbaum said.
Members of Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue scoured the area for several hours but the search was called off because of poor visibility.
His body was recovered Thursday morning.
MacDonald called the event “tragic.”
“We don’t want to point any fingers… but knowing your own limits and being prepared to go into the water safely, either by having a floatation device or knowing how to swim, is crucially important,” he said.
The man’s name has not been released.