A woman in her early 50s has died after falling into the rapids of the Cowichan River on Saturday.
The woman was tubing with friends when she passed the “pull-out” zone and entered the rough water near Horseshoe Bend and Marie Canyon, said RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Janelle Shoihet. The woman tried to make it to the river bank, but fell off her tube and became trapped under the fast-flowing water.
The 33-year-old man she was with pulled her from the water and tried to resuscitate her until paramedics arrived.
Lake Cowichan RCMP and B.C. Ambulance arrived at the scene around 3:30 p.m.
The woman was airlifted to Victoria General Hospital. She died on Sunday, said B.C. coroner Barb McLintock.
On Canada Day, a man who was tubing down the river with friends almost died after he got caught under a partially submerged log. Some witnesses who saw him waving for help were able to free him from the log and perform CPR.
Lake Cowichan Mayor Ross Forrest said news of the death is very concerning.
“As a community that promotes recreation in the river, the last thing we want to see is anybody drown or even have incidents like the one on Canada Day,” Forrest said. “It’s very scary.”
Forrest said the water flow near Horseshoe Bend is much more rapid than the calm waters where the majority of tubers float on summer days.
“Where this happened is quite a bit down river from the town … the water is a little more rapid and there’s currents and undertows, so it’s a more challenging part of the river,” he said.
There are signs warning people to get out of the river before the rapids.
Lake Cowichan RCMP and the B.C. Coroners Service are investigating the drowning. The woman’s name has not been released.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call Lake Cowichan RCMP at 250-749-6668.
