A U.S. citizen drowned in Okanagan Lake on Friday night.
West Kelowna RCMP said that at approximately 7:13 p.m. on June 19, they were called to the lake for a report that two kayakers had capsized near Westbank First Nation Beach after the wind suddenly picked up.
Both attempted to swim to the shore, police said, but one kayaker went under and did not resurface.
Officers jumped into a person’s boat to begin search efforts while West Kelowna RCMP members deployed the detachment boat and Peachland Fire Rescue also launched their boat.
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The second kayaker was quickly located.
Central Okanagan Search and Rescue was also called in and, after several hours, located and recovered the missing kayaker.
Despite all efforts, the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.
Their name is not being released at this time.
“This is a tragic reminder of how quickly conditions can change on Okanagan Lake,” Const. Ash Puri, media relations officer for the West Kelowna RCMP, said in a release.
“Wearing a life jacket can make the difference between life and death. We urge all boaters and paddlers to take that simple step every time they’re on the water.”
Neither kayaker was wearing a personal flotation device at the time of the incident, police said.
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