Three dead after boat overturns on Squamish River amid storm conditions
Police say everyone involved in the Thursday incident has been accounted for after a third person was found deceased.
SQUAMISH · Three people have died after a boat overturned on the Squamish River on Thursday amid stormy conditions. Police confirmed on Friday afternoon that a third person had been found deceased, following the earlier recovery of two bodies. The Squamish RCMP said everyone involved in the incident has now been accounted for. The force responded to the accident at 1:52 p.m. PT Thursday. On Friday morning, police had said efforts were being made to locate a third person and that the chances of finding the individual alive were diminishing.
"Due to elevated water levels and challenging weather conditions, search, rescue and recovery efforts on Nov. 12 were extremely difficult and unsafe for emergency responders," police said in a statement Friday morning. Cpl. Ashley MacKay of the Squamish RCMP said the weather and river conditions have played a significant role. "This is a very dynamic and evolving incident, and the safety of responders and the public remains paramount," MacKay said.
Search and recovery operations continued on Friday, described by police as a time-sensitive and complex response. Crews from Squamish Search and Rescue, the Lower Mainland District Integrated Emergency Response Team, the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team, and West Coast Marine Services were called in. RCMP Air Services and the Lower Mainland District Underwater Recovery Team were also involved. North Shore Rescue posted on social media Friday morning that it was back up in Squamish with swiftwater and hoist crews assisting Squamish SAR and RCMP on a mutual aid request. Police are asking the public to stay off the water due to dangerous flow rates and debris throughout the river systems. Access to the remote area by vehicle is also hampered, with Squamish Valley Road closed at the Pilchuck Bailey Bridge due to flooding. "Weather patterns, water levels, and river conditions can change rapidly, and those factors are being continuously assessed as search and recovery efforts continue," MacKay said.
The fatal boating incident occurred during a period of severe weather in British Columbia. Nosy Mag reported earlier this month that one person died after a tree fell on a Surrey highway during a storm that knocked out power to tens of thousands. Jeremy Valeriote, MLA-elect for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, said in a statement that he was devastated to hear of the deaths and his thoughts are with the families of the victims. RCMP Cpl. Brett Urano said, "We send the condolences out to those who are affected. We're working hard to figure out exactly what happened in this investigation." Police have not confirmed the total number of people involved in the boating incident.
With files from The Canadian Press, CBC News and CityNews