Drowning west of Edmonton related to 'unseasonably high' water levels: RCMP

An Alberta Health Services ambulance is seen in a file photo from July 28, 2023. (Karyn Mulcahy/CTV News Edmonton)

One person is dead after a drowning west of Edmonton over the weekend.

Emergency crews were called to the Athabasca River near Hinton at 11:55 a.m. on Saturday for a report of a man in distress after capsizing his kayak.

The man's wife performed first-aid, but the 49-year-old Hinton resident was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say he was wearing a life jacket at the time his kayak capsized and had been attempting to recover an abandoned canoe.

"Unseasonably high" water levels are believed to have been a contributing factor.

Mounties are urging anyone using the Athabasca river to use caution and prioritize safety.