Suspected drowning of young man prompts closure of Othello Tunnels
The Othello Tunnels near Hope, B.C., are closed after a young man fell into the nearby Coquihalla River over the weekend, leading to a recovery operation.
According to a news release from the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment (UFVRD), Hope RCMP received a report at around 6:17 p.m. on Saturday that a 19-year-old man fell into the river in the Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park area, near the tunnels.
A coordinated rescue effort involving several organizations, including the Hope RCMP, RCMP Integrated Police Dog Service, Search and Rescue (SAR), the District of Hope Fire Department, and the Emergency Health Service, was deployed.
A bystander who became stranded trying to help the 19-year-old was rescued by a SAR raft.
First responders were unable to locate the victim of the fall, and officials believe the river’s heavy current has him trapped under the water’s surface.
On Sunday, the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team attended the scene to assess it in daylight.
Officials say that a coordinated recovery operation is being planned for a later date because of the area’s steep terrain and fast-flowing water.
The Othello Tunnels have been closed to the public until further notice.
According to a recent report from the B.C. Coroners Service, there were 98 accidental drowning deaths in the province in 2024, an 18 per cent drop from the 119 deaths in 2023. The majority of accidental deaths in 2024 were males (70 per cent).
Most of the deaths (53 per cent) were reported during the warmer months from June to September.
The most common occurrences that resulted in drowning deaths were unintentionally falling into water (22 per cent), swimming (18 per cent), and bathing (14 per cent).