Would-be snorkeler rescued after being swept away in Lynn Canyon Park

There was a scary scene in Lynn Canyon Park this weekend when a snorkeler was swept down the creek.

A man outfitted in a drysuit and snorkel gear was rescued from the water in Lynn Canyon Park Sunday, according to officials.

District of North Vancouver Firefighters were called to the area around 11:45 a.m. for reports of a person in distress in the water, according to Asst. Chief Ryan Stewart.

After triangulating the man’s location, the swiftwater team mobilized and was able to pull the man ashore using a throw bag and a reach pole.

“It was reported to us from a friend on the shore that he had entered the water to snorkel,” Stewart told CTV News, adding the man was likely “deceived” by how placid the water appeared before being “quickly swept down the creek system.”

The man went into the water at the 30-foot pool, a popular swimming hole in summer months. Stewart said recent heavy rainfall has made the water fast flowing and dangerous, and that people in the park should exercise caution.

Last month a woman in her 50s, who was on a tour of Lynn Canyon Park, was airlifted to hospital after falling off a cliff near the suspension bridge.

The bridge has been closed for repairs since Oct. 1.