One dead and two missing in boating accident south of Canmore

Canmore RCMP received a call for a drowning report at Spray Lakes Campground in Spray Valley Provincial Park

Content of the article

One person has died and two others are missing after a boat capsized in a reservoir south of Canmore on Sunday morning.

Content of the article

Canmore RCMP received a call around 2 p.m. Sunday for a report of drowning at Spray Lakes Campground in Spray Valley Provincial Park. According to RCMP Cpl. Susan Richter, there were four people in a boat on the Spray Lakes Reservoir when it capsized shortly after 10 a.m.

One of the people on board was able to save himself; however, one was confirmed dead and the other two are still missing.

A search is underway for the two by Kananaskis Emergency Services, Alberta Conservation Officers and the RCMP. People involved in the search use boats and a helicopter, as well as other resources.

Victim services are also on the scene, as the person who is found is in severe shock, Richter said.

“One of the factors for this incident is that it happened in a remote area with no cellphones or radio reception,” Richter said. “It happened around 10 or 11 a.m. and emergency crews were sent out at 2 p.m. And it doesn’t seem like there were people around to help.”

The reservoir is about 25 kilometers south of Canmore.

Emergency teams have planned to search for the two missing people in the evening. The RCMP scuba diving team will be consulted Monday morning if the two are not found by then.

Information about the boat’s occupants was not released Sunday, pending identification and notification of next of kin, RCMP said in a news release.

[email protected]
Twitter: @BabychStephanie