2 young men dead after being swept away in Bow River

CALGARY – Two men are dead after being swept away by the Bow River on Sunday.

Three friends decided to swim across the river to a cliff jumping spot near the Seebe Dam, when the quick-moving water pulled them under.

One of the men surfaced but was unresponsive, and airlifted to hospital by STARS Air Ambulance. He later succumbed to his injuries.

He has been identified as 22-year-old Colby Berner.

The second man, a 17-year-old, was able to swim to shore. However, the third man, 26-year-old Christopher Guthrie, was recovered from the water around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

All three men were from Calgary.

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“It’s a really tragic situation,” says Torrey MacPherson, who arrived at the site on Sunday just as police arrived. “I feel really bad about it, no words can really describe what those people are going through now.”

Police confirm drugs and alcohol were factors. RCMP now plan to patrol the area more aggressively, and charge anyone they find trespassing.