WATCH ABOVE: Emergency crews spent Wednesday afternoon and evening searching Wabamun Lake for a missing boater.
EDMONTON — On Thursday, after nine days of searching, crews found the body of a 30-year-old Leduc man, missing since a boating incident on July 15.
Two men were thrown from their boat on Wabamun Lake that afternoon.
RCMP said the men were boating on the lake west of Edmonton when they struck a wave, throwing them both from the boat. Emergency crews were called out around 1:35 p.m.
One of the men, a 29-year-old, was able to swim back to the boat, but the second man, a 30-year-old, had not been seen since. RCMP do not believe either of the men were wearing life jackets.
On Thursday, the RCMP said the body of the 30 year old was located. An autopsy will be done on Friday to determine the cause of death.
The RCMP searched the lake several times but efforts were hampered by rough weather conditions.
“Unfortunately… with these winds, we had to come in for a couple of hours and then they went out again to try, but the winds were just getting worse… The sonar equipment won’t work when the water is this turbulent,” said Cpl. Kim Mueller.
“At this point, we are looking at more of a recovery than a rescue mission unfortunately,” said Mueller.
The family of the missing man also hired a private diver to continue searching.
Officers said last week the missing man’s family had been notified. His name and age have not been released. RCMP said he is from the Leduc area.
Officers are reminding anyone heading out onto the water to do so safely.
“Often it’s children that you are worried about in a boat wearing a life jacket because you think of them first,” said Murdy. “But of course as adults, especially adults that are non-swimmers, it is very important for everybody in that boat to be wearing a life jacket… It can definitely save your life.”
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