Paddleboarder drowns in B.C. lake, RCMP say

Hayward Lake in Mission, B.C., is seen in this photo from BC Hydro. (bchydro.ca)

A 58-year-old man is dead after falling off his paddleboard on Hayward Lake in Mission, B.C., Thursday, according to local police.

The drowning occurred around 6 p.m., when the man lost his balance and fell into the water, Mission RCMP said in a news release Friday.

“He was not wearing a personal floatation device, and reportedly had limited swimming abilities,” the release reads.

The man’s wife had remained on shore and began yelling for help, which arrived in the form of a passerby who began using the man’s paddleboard to search the area, police said.

“He spotted the victim underwater and was able to grab hold of him and bring him back to the shore, then started doing CPR,” the release reads.

Lifeguards who had been stationed at the lake’s main swimming beach roughly half a kilometre away had just packed up for the day when they were alerted to the situation, according to police. They made their way to the “dog beach” and continued CPR until other first responders arrived, police said, noting that the area where the man drowned is not routinely supervised by lifeguards.

Firefighters and paramedics spent “an extended period” trying to resuscitate the man, but were unable to do so, police said.

“Mission RCMP send their heartfelt condolences to the man’s family and friends,” the release concludes.

“Anyone venturing out onto the water this summer is encouraged to consider wearing a life jacket, regardless of swimming ability. 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 floatation device could mean the difference between a fun day on the water and a sad and tragic outcome.”

The man’s death brings the total number of people who have drowned in B.C. this year to at least 30, based on statistics shared by the Lifesaving Society of B.C. and the Yukon earlier this week.

That’s an increase from 21 across the society’s coverage area as of this time last year.