One man was missing after two boats collided on Shuswap Lake after dark, throwing the passengers of one into the water.
Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) Station #106 leader Fred Banham said they received a call from the BC Ambulance Service at approximately 8 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1. Banham said the ambulance crew was requesting assistance with helping people who were thrown into the water during a boat accident; he was told that some of them might be injured.
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Banham said when RCMSAR crews arrived at the scene, which was in the vicinity of Paradise Point between Canoe and Sicamous, they were told that two power boats had been travelling side by side when one veered into the other. Banham said one of the boats was seriously damaged and the people on board were thrown into the lake. He added that the undamaged boat picked up three people; one of them had suffered injuries to her head and back. A fourth man was not found.
Ambulance paramedics rode to the scene of the accident aboard the Tolonen, the larger of the Shuswap RCMSAR station’s two vessels. Banham said paramedics treated the injured woman, who was then taken by boat to an ambulance waiting in Canoe.
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The RCMSAR Station’s other vessel, Rescue 1, searched for the missing man along with an RCMP boat. After returning from taking the injured woman to the ambulance, the Tolonen joined the search as well. Banham said the RCMSAR boats kept up the search until 2 a.m. when they returned to the station.
He said the RCMP are now in charge of the search efforts.
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