North Shore Rescue is crediting bystanders with saving the life of a man who nearly drowned in West Vancouver’s Cabin Lake on Tuesday – just weeks after a drowning in the same location.
Around 2:30 p.m., a swimmer on the lake within Cypress Provincial Park was showing signs of a struggle and began going underwater.
“The subject was swimming across the lake and felt that he was so cold, he couldn’t move, so he called for help,” said Stan Sovdat, a search manager at North Shore Rescue. “His friend swam over to him and tried to help, but immediately, the subject grabbed him and they were both starting to drown. They were both going to die.”
Three bystanders in the area saw what was happening and were able to step in and bring them to the shore, later dialling 911.
Although they were back on dry land, they were unable to get themselves out of the park. Upon North Shore Rescue’s arrival, a two-person hoist team set off to provide assistance, with one of the rescue members being an ER physician.
Once the man was hoisted out of the lake, he was brought to the parking lot and later taken to the hospital for a follow-up in case the man had inhaled water, Sovdat said.
In a post on social media, North Shore Rescue thanked the three bystanders that jumped into action, crediting them with saving lives.
Before the Cabin Lake call came in, the team was already mobilizing for a hiker with an injured knee on Mount Seymour. With the higher-priority Cabin Lake call wrapped, the team turned their attention and helicopter to the Mount Seymour call where they found the hiker could not walk due to a displaced kneecap. The hiker was provided with medical care, hoisted out to safety, and then handed off to BC Emergency Health Services.
This Cabin Lake incident took place just a few weeks after Mihir Shah, a 29 year-old man who had lived in Burnaby, drowned at the same location after going out for a swim with his fiancée.
West Vancouver Fire & Rescue, the BC RCMP Underwater Recovery Unit, and North Shore Rescue members searched for the man’s body, until it was recovered the next day.
“Cabin Lake is incredibly cold. The snow is just leaving the area. Swimmers may overestimate their ability to swim and stay safe,” said Sovdat. “They have no flotation devices, no life rings or lifejackets, they just rely on their brute strength, and when they get in the water, it feels okay, but shortly after they realize it’s way too cold, and their ability just diminishes very rapidly.”
Sovdat suggested that individuals familiarize themselves with the ‘Reach, Row, Throw, Go,’ method for water safety.
“I wouldn’t say don’t swim, but I would say stay near the shore and keep yourself safe. When you’re dealing with unknown situations, you don’t know what’s under the water, you don’t know how cold it is, you don’t know how you’re going to react to it. Be conservative, and think about your own safety, and your friends.”
Zain Alragheb is a student intern reporting for the North Shore News. She can be reached at [email protected].
