Police say that the search for two paddleboarders who were last seen falling off their boards on Browning Lake, about 10 kilometres south of Squamish, remains ongoing.
The Sea-to-Sky RCMP first responded to the incident on Saturday shortly after 3 p.m., closing the surrounding Murrin Park to launch the search operation.
“The Squamish RCMP attended and, with the assistance of partnering agencies, they attempted to locate the individuals without success,” said Cpl. Katrina Boehmer in a written statement on Monday.
In the same announcement, police are warning the public to be careful when spending time on the water and urged them to use PFDs.
“As the temperatures rise and the summer sunshine returns, lakes and rivers become popular destinations for people looking to cool off, relax and enjoy the outdoors, but enjoying the benefit of these natural spaces also comes with responsibility,” Boehmer said.
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She adds that a second incident occurred on Saturday in which an officer rescued a kayaker in the Squamish River who was at risk of being swept away by a fast-moving current.
“The man’s kayak had overturned, and he was carried downstream where he hung onto a log,” Boehmer explained.She says that the officer put on a personal flotation device (PFD) and entered the water to pull the man to a spot where other responders on shore could assist in completing the rescue.
“The RCMP member and the rescued individual were taken to hospital for treatment and have been released.”
Earlier last week, Mounties responded to reports of an individual who had gone paddleboarding from Lakeside Park and did not return.
“A search was initiated involving a number of Whistler RCMP’s partnering agencies, but despite the initial and ongoing searches, this individual remains outstanding.”