A man in his early 40s died while tubing on the Cowichan River on Sunday, July 29.
Authorities have yet to identify the victim, but a GoFundMe page has been established for the family of Tony Jackson, a volunteer with the Sahtlam fire department.
Andy Watson, of the B.C. Coroner’s Service, said the incident took place on the Cowichan River, not far off Indian Road, between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.
“We are in the early stages of our investigation to determine how and by what means the decedent died, and if we can make any recommendations to prevent deaths in similar circumstances,” Watson said.
The GoFundMe page has been created by Amanda Clarke Richardson.
“Tony Jackson, you were one of the good ones,” Clark Richardson said on the page.
“You were one that would give their shirt off their back if you could, compassionate in what you believed in, a key volunteer and a do’er of anything that was needed.”
The GoFundMe page can be found at www.gofundme.com/in-memory-of-tony-jackson.
Jackson leaves behind his wife Belinda and daughter Ryelee.
Police couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
It’s the first death on the Cowichan River this year.
A woman in her early 50s died while tubing on the river in July, 2017, and a man nearly died in another tubing incident on the river a few weeks before that.
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
