A 58-year-old man from Mission drowned while paddle boarding at Hayward Lake on Thursday evening, according to Mission RCMP. First responders were called to the lake around 6 p.m. after reports of a drowning.
Incident Details
The man was paddle boarding near the dog beach when he lost his balance and fell into the water. Police reported that he was not wearing a personal flotation device and had limited swimming abilities. His wife, who remained on shore, began yelling for help.
A passerby heard the distress calls and used the man's paddle board to search the area. The bystander spotted the victim underwater, pulled him to shore, and performed CPR. Lifeguards stationed at the main swimming beach, nearly half a kilometre away, were alerted as they were leaving for the day. They immediately responded and continued CPR until other first responders arrived.
Response and Warnings
RCMP noted that the area where the drowning occurred was not supervised by lifeguards. In a news release Friday, authorities urged anyone venturing onto the water this summer to wear a life jacket. “Unexpected factors such as hitting your head, cold water shock, undercurrents, or a collision with a watercraft can all have an immediate impact on your ability to keep yourself above the water, and a simple personal flotation device could mean the difference between a fun day on the water and a sad and tragic outcome,” RCMP said.
