It has been a deadly summer in Kananaskis Country for water recreationists, with five people dying in lakes and rivers so far.
On Saturday (July 26), a 42-year-old man was kayaking when he was observed by witnesses to be in distress in Upper Kananaskis Lake.
Members of the public assisted, pulling him to shore and performing CPR. However, when STARS ambulance attended, he was pronounced dead.
It is the second drowning in Upper Kananaskis Lake. On June 8 at approximately 6 p.m. people on the shore of the lake heard someone call for help about 200 metres offshore. A bystander swam out to help the person, but could not find him. He was later lifted off a nearby island by helicopter.
RCMP, STARS, Alpine Helicopters, conservation officers and public safety specialists all took part in a search using aircraft and vessels. At the time, a kayak and flotation device were found in the area.
Northern Underwater Systems divers from Calgary were then contracted to search the waters of the lake and at about 3 p.m. the next day, located the body of the 31-year-old male.
When the body was discovered, no lifejacket was found on the victim, said RCMP Cpl. Jane Boehr at the time.
On July 12, a 65-year-old Calgary man drowned while swimming in Lower Kananaskis Lake.
Kananaskis Public Safety Officer Mike Koppang said at the time the man was found 10 feet offshore.
Conservation Officers from Peter Lougheed Provincial Park were the first to respond.
Koppang said anyone swimming for long periods in glacier-fed waters should wear a wet suit or at least a PFD for insulation. He said Lower Kananaskis Lake temperatures are about 11 C.
“It’s really cold water here. It’s not a lake in Saskatchewan. It’s flowing and cold.”
On July 13, two Calgary men drowned in the Bow River at a popular cliff-jumping site near the former Seebe townsite and the Horseshoe dam.
Colby Berner, 22, and Christopher Guthrie, 26, were among dozens of swimmers at that location, which required trespassing on private property to access.
Berner’s body was pulled out of the water by bystanders who administered CPR until EMS arrived at the scene, and Kananaskis Emergency Services, along with Alpine Helicopters heli-slung the man to a staging area He was then transferred to Foothills Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, EMS and RCMP were notified Guthrie had also disappeared in the river. Police began to search for the man on the banks and shelves, later bringing in underwater cameras and a jet boat to aid in the search. His body was found on July 15.
-With files from Justin Brisbane
