A swimmer pulled from Okanagan Lake at Kelowna’s Hot Sands Beach has died, marking the sixth drowning in 40 days.
The BC Coroners Service confirmed the man’s death to Black Press Media on Thursday, July 30.
On Wednesday, July 29 around 12:10 p.m., BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) and the Kelowna RCMP were called to the scene where a man who was swimming by the wibit floating play structure suffered a medical emergency.
Beachgoers found the man in the water and pulled him to shore where paramedics performed CPR for about half an hour. He was eventually taken to Kelowna General Hospital in serious condition and died on July 30, according to BC Coroner Service’s manager of strategic communications and media relations Holly Tally.
On Thursday, Kelowna RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Steven Lang told Black Press Media that a police investigation has concluded and determined there was no criminality.
This drowning marks the sixth death on Okanagan Lake in the last 40 days.
The first occurred on June 20 when an American citizen died after a kayak capsized in West Kelowna. Nine days later, on June 29, an individual died at Poplar Point.
On July 6, emergency services responded to a drowning at Mushroom Beach, in the 100-block of McTavish Avenue where a third individual died. Five days later, on July 11, a 45-year-old man who was not wearing a lifejacket was tubing in Okanagan Lake, flipped into the water and never resurfaced.
A week later, on July 18, a 67-year-old man taking part in the Across The Lake swim drowned. It is believed strong winds were a factor during the event.
According to BC Coroners Service data, Okanagan Lake is the deadliest lake in B.C.