Four people swam ashore after a boat quickly sunk on Okanagan Lake Friday (April 30) just after 5 p.m.

The boat’s owner Dave Thomas was on scene with first responders after swimming to the shore of Okanagan Lake Beach with three of his friends.

“I just went to power down and all of a sudden water started pouring in, it just happened so fast,” Thomas said after swimming ashore.

Thomas said he doesn’t know what caused the boat to sink.

The entire boat was submerged almost instantly after Thomas noticed it had started to fill with water, he said.

The sinking boat triggered a response from Penticton Fire Department, RCMP and paramedics. All four occupants were able to swim to the shoreline without sustaining any injuries.

The 1970 Catalina speedboat was reported sinking off the beach in Penticton near the Peach on Okanagan Lake around 5:15 p.m. on April 30.

A marine rescue boat also responded and tried to recover the sunken boat according to witnesses.

Marine rescue contacted the B.C. Ministry of Environment to inform them that there was approximately 100 liters of fuel onboard the boat. The location of where the boat sank was marked with a buoy to be retrieved at a later date.

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