LISSA ALEXANDER
reporter@pqbnews.com
Members of the Parksville Qualicum Beach community are mourning the loss of 17-year-old Lukas Whibley, who died Friday after a tragic accident at the Little Qualicum Falls.
The teen and his friends were said to have been jumping off rocks at the upper falls into a pool in the river at around 2 p.m. The teens became stuck and Whibley reportedly started climbing a steep rock face, when he fell and hit the rocks below and was carried into a waterfall.
Shortly after, Oceanside RCMP, Arrowsmith Search and Rescue, and BC Ambulance Service Paramedics arrived at the scene.A media release from the Island District RCMP reported the body was located at 6:15 p.m., submerged in about 15 feet of water.
The RCMP Dive Team recovered the body at around 9 p.m. RCMP Victim Services were on scene and are available free of charge to anyone impacted by this event. To request assistance, call the Oceanside Detachment at 250-248-6111.
The case has now been handed over to the BC Coroners Service.
Whibley was an Errington resident. He was a popular teen who had just graduated from Ballenas Secondary School. He was also a member of the Ballenas Whalers football team.
