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Man dies while fishing in North Vancouver river

Man waded into the river and was swept away
19126262_web1_Capilano-River
The Capilano River. (Wikimedia Commons)

A man in his 30s died while fishing in a North Vancouver river on Sunday afternoon, according to RCMP.

Police said four friends were fishing near Cable Pool at the Capilano River when one of the men tried to cross. The man lost his footing and despite a friend wading in to try and save him, he was swept away. The friend clung to a rock until rescuers arrived.

Rescue crews found the man that had been swept away further downstream. He was take to St. Paul’s Hospital but did not survive and the BC Coroner’s Service is now investigating.

Sgt. Peter DeVries said the incident was heartbreaking.

“It was a beautiful sunny day… the salmon are running. It was a perfect day to spend on the river with your fishing buddies,” DeVries said.

He urged anyone fishing on the rivers to wear a lifejacket.

“[But] those rivers are much more powerful than they look. The beauty can be a bit disarming.”


@katslepian

katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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