Emergency crews have been searching Barrier Lake for the body of a 30-year-old Calgary man RCMP believe drowned on Saturday.
A canoe capsized around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16, on the popular Kananaskis lake. A man in his 60s was pronounced dead on scene, while a 56-year-old woman was taken to hospital with hypothermia.
RCMP confirm the three were a family — the two older people in the canoe were the missing man’s parents, visiting from China.
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“This incident is very tragic, and we feel for the family,” said Staff Sgt. Chad Fournier with Cochrane RCMP. “It is still under investigation but no foul play is suspected at this time.”
The public was asked to avoid the area Monday as the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team spent the day searching Barrier Lake for the missing man, after a shore search did not locate his body. It is believed strong winds came up Saturday afternoon, creating large waves that caused the canoe to capsize, sending all three into the frigid water.
“The weather in the Foothills region and Kananaskis is very unpredictable,” said Staff Sgt. Fournier. “The weather can change very quickly with rain, cold weather, high winds so people need to be prepared for all types of weather and quick changes.”
RCMP says ongoing search efforts will be evaluated each day in consultation with the family.
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