A 58-year-old man drowned while paddleboarding at Hayward Lake on Thursday, July 9.
According to a news release from Mission RCMP, it is believed the Mission man lost his balance on the paddleboard and fell into the water.
“He was not wearing a personal flotation device, and reportedly had limited swimming abilities,” the detachment said.
Police say the man’s wife began yelling for help from the shore and a passerby rushed over to help.
The passerby spotted the victim underwater and started performing CPR after bringing him back to the shore.
Mission RCMP, BC Ambulance Service, and Mission Fire Rescue Service attended the lake at approximately 6 p.m.
Paramedics and firefighters tried to resuscitate the man but he was eventually pronounced dead.
The dog beach area, where the man drowned, was not a part of the lake supervised by lifeguards, police said.
“Lifeguards who had been stationed on the main swimming beach – nearly half a kilometre away – had just packed up for the day and were in the process of leaving the area, when they (were) alerted to the situation. They immediately attended the area of the dog beach and continued CPR until other first responders arrived,” RCMP said.
The detachment offered condolences to the man’s family and friends, and advised those taking to the water this summer 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 flotation device could mean the difference between a fun day on the water and a sad and tragic outcome,” RCMP said.
Hayward Lake is located along the eastern border of Maple Ridge and Mission.