The clear, sunny weather has more people out enjoying the local waters, fishing and recreating, but for one Surrey man, what should have been a day of fishing on Hatzic Lake, resulted in emergency crews attending to his capsized dingy.
At about 10:30 a.m. today (April 13), Mission RCMP responded to a 911 call about a man clinging to an overturned boat being pushed further into Hatzic Lake as a result of wind gusts,
Two police officers, both still in uniform, swam approximately 50-75 feet out into the lake to rescue the man with the third officer remaining knee deep, to pull the boat to shore.
According to an RCMP press release, once the man was out of the icy water, he was transported to Abbotsford Regional Hospital for treatment of hypothermia and is expected to make a full recovery.
Witnesses to the incident describe the boat being capsized due to strong winds, making it difficult for the man to make his way to shore.
“This is a good time to remind boaters to ensure you are well equipped for the weather conditions, water temperatures and of course always wear a life vest,” said Cpl. Jason Raaflaub, media relations for the Mission Detachment.
