33-Year-Old Man Drowns at Canmore's Quarry Lake

A 33-year-old Rocky View County man has died after disappearing beneath the water while swimming at Quarry Lake on Saturday evening, prompting a large emergency response and renewed reminders about water safety.

Canmore RCMP were called to the popular swimming area at approximately 5:47 p.m. on Aug. 1 after receiving a report of a struggling swimmer in the water.

"Witnesses reported seeing a male in the water without a life jacket who disappeared and did not resurface with several other people trying to locate the male," said Const. Cheri-Lee Smith, public information officer with the Alberta RCMP Media Group.

Canmore RCMP, Alberta Conservation Officers and Canmore Fire and Emergency Services responded to the scene. Fire rescue crews located the man underwater, where he was pronounced deceased.

Emergency Health Services (EHS) remained on standby while the search was underway.

"EHS responded to Quarry Lake the late afternoon of August 1st, about 5:40 p.m., for a missing person in the water and possible drowning," said Stuart Brideaux, public education officer with Alberta Health Services' Emergency Health Services. "EHS remained on standby while fire crews conducted a search. Unfortunately one adult male was eventually located by fire rescue teams and determined to be deceased by EHS and not transported to hospital."

The man was identified only as a 33-year-old resident of Rocky View County. His body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

"The RCMP offer our sincerest condolences to family, friends, and the community," Smith said.

Police said no further updates will be provided.

Town Urges Visitors to Prioritize Water Safety

The drowning comes as the Town of Canmore continues to remind residents and visitors that Quarry Lake is an unsupervised swimming area where people swim at their own risk.

According to the Town, not wearing a properly fitted life jacket is the leading factor in water rescues. Officials say a life jacket can help keep a person's airway above the water, slow the loss of body heat in cold water and significantly improve the chances of survival.

Visitors who do not have a life jacket can borrow one free of charge from the life jacket loaner station at Quarry Lake.

The Town also warns that Alberta's mountain lakes remain extremely cold throughout the summer. Cold water can quickly affect breathing, strength and the ability to swim, even on warm days.

Officials recommend never swimming alone, entering the water carefully, wearing a properly fitted life jacket whenever in or around the water, checking weather and water conditions before heading out, and letting someone know where you are going and when you expect to return.

Saturday's drowning is the latest fatal incident at Quarry Lake. A 28-year-old man drowned at the lake in 2017, while a 19-year-old woman died there in 2015.