Mahogany Lake drowning victims identified

Two friends have been identified by loved ones on social media as the victims of a drowning incident at Mahogany Lake earlier this week.

Two 20-year-old men who drowned in Mahogany Lake on Wednesday have been identified.

Friends and family on social media have identified Caelan Escalante and Yagazie Ike-Peters as the two men whose bodies were recovered by a dive team at Mahogany Lake.

The pair were described as friends, and loving, and faithful men, being members of the First Assembly Church.

“It’s an unimaginable loss. It’s a very painful time for our church family and most importantly, for the families that have lost these incredible young men,” said lead pastor Ben Johnson.

“The grief that the families are dealing with right now are we’re praying for them. We just love these young men, so much. And we love their families. We’re heartbroken.”

In a GoFundMe, that has since raised $20,000 for Escalante, he is described as someone who was full of life, passion, and love.

“Every time that you had a conversation with Caelan you caught the heart of Jesus in everything he said and did. Caelan lived a life of a true worshipper. He poured out his whole life and heart for his faith and for the people in his life. Caelan was a true leader, and he made everyone feel seen, loved, and understood,” read the crowdfunding campaign.

It adds that Escalante loved to lead and worship, and introducing youth to faith through camps, and his music.

Johnson says the church will support all members of its congregation through this difficult tragedy.

“(They) definitely (are) going to be missed by all of us,” he said.

“Our hearts go out to the families. We’ve been doing everything we can to come alongside the families to support them in this time of grief and tragedy.”

Preventative measures

The Lifesaving Society of Alberta and the Northwest Territories says in 2025, there have been a total of 20 drowning incidents in Alberta, and two in the Northwest Territories.

Of these, 13 have been fatal drownings, nine non-fatal.

“When you are going through an incident like that, your body’s first priority is to get air,” said Madison Lalonde, director of public education and communication with the Lifesaving Society.

“So, a lot of times, drowning is actually really silent, and it can happen in seconds. So that’s why the Lifesaving Society really prioritizes these preventative measures, because it’s a lot easier to be preventative about drowning than to resolve it during or after the fact.”

She says ahead of another long weekend, Albertans should be extra cautious during the hot weather.

“Wearing a life jacket is super important,” she said.

“It works just like a seatbelt or even a bicycle helmet. You have to wear one, especially if you’re on a boat, even if you’re a really strong swimmer,”

She says despite the number of drownings in August, Alberta is on par for the same amount as last year.

“That is disappointing,” said Lalonde.

“From an overall perspective, in Canada, we are seeing a downward trend in media reported drownings.”