Update: Search continues for 13-year-old girl who fell off paddleboard at Cultus Lake
Search-and-rescue efforts continued through the weekend and the public is asked to stay away to avoid interfering
By J.J. Adams
Last updated 8 hours ago
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RCMP and search crews continue to scour Cultus Lake for a 13-year-old girl who fell off her paddleboard on Saturday afternoon.
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Witnesses told Chilliwack RCMP the girl was floating on a paddleboard at around 1:20 p.m. when she suffered a medical emergency and fell into the water. She was not wearing a life-jacket.
Chilliwack RCMP said on Monday that police, Chilliwack Search and Rescue volunteers and specialist RCMP divers continued to try to find the girl through the weekend.
RCMP Cpl. Carmen Kiener said Entrance Bay is closed during the search and the public, including boaters, is asked to stay away to avoid interfering.
“Due to the heavy silt on the lake bottom, any disturbance can significantly reduce underwater visibility and hinder work being conducted in the area,” said Kiener.
There have been 40 accidental drownings in the province so far this year, a significant spike from the 26 people who died across the same time frame in 2025.
A man from Mission drowned while paddleboarding at Hayward Lake last month after falling off his board. He wasn’t wearing a flotation device and had limited swimming abilities.
A newlywed couple died in May after falling off their paddleboards at Browning Lake near Squamish.
The spike in drowning deaths has authorities issuing reminders about the importance of life jackets.
“Unexpected factors such as hitting your head, cold water shock, undercurrents or a collision with a watercraft can all have an immediate impact on your ability to keep yourself above the water, and a simple personal flotation device could mean the difference between a fun day on the water and a sad and tragic outcome,” the RCMP said.
