Divers have recovered the body of a 20-year-old man who drowned in Albert Dyck Lake Wednesday evening.
Police received a 9-1-1 call around 8:20 p.m. Wednesday of a report of the possible drowning of a young man.
Abbotsford Police Const. Ian MacDonald said the man and two friends had arrived at the park just after 7 p.m. after eating dinner. They entered the water in the northwest corner of the lake, where swimming is not encouraged.
“This area of Albert Dyck Park is not recommended for swimming and one of the reasons is there is a pretty steep drop-off there,” MacDonald said. “There’s a lot of in-water vegetation as well.”
Although the three friends didn’t venture far into the lake, one of the men disappeared from his friends’ sight around 8:15 p.m.
The man’s name has not been released.
None of the three men were seasoned swimmers, with the man who disappeared the least experienced, his friends told police.
A man in the area at the time said he was told the young man “just stepped past the drop-off.”
MacDonald said alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the incident.
Police officers, firefighters, paramedics and BC Ambulance staff attended the park and were joined by members of Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue. The search was suspended just before midnight, and resumed early Thursday morning, with the assistance of the RCMP dive team.
Albert Dyck Park was closed during the search but is expected to re-open by noon Thursday.
