Alberta woman drowned, man hospitalized after incident in Kootenay National Park

A Calgary woman drowned after falling into the water at Marble Canyon in Kootenay National Park on Sunday evening, with RCMP saying the day ended in tragedy for an Alberta couple.

The 29-year-old man who was with her, believed to be her partner, tried to save her, but could not, and eventually had to be rescued from the water himself.

According to STARS Air Ambulance, first responders were called to the scene at about 7 p.m. on Sunday evening.

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The RCMP said Monday that the woman was having a photo taken when she lost her footing and fell in the water and was swept away.

Her body was pulled from the water about one kilometre away by bystanders and a medical professional. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

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The man was pulled from the canyon by Parks Canada safety crews, who used a high-angle rope rescue.

He was airlifted to the Foothills Medical Centre in stable condition.

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“The tragic event was witnessed by a number of people who were in the area at the time. All those individuals are now being supported by Columbia Valley RCMP Victim Services,” the RCMP said in a news release.

Marble Canyon is located along Highway 93 just west of the Alberta-B.C. border. It’s about 174 kilometres from Calgary.

The incident comes after numerous deaths on the water throughout Alberta.

Over the weekend, rescue agencies in the province reported being busier this year, including responding to more accidental deaths, with more people keeping busy closer to home during the COVID-19 pandemic.