By Dan Walton

Pioneer Staff

An Invermere man has lost his life after cliff jumping with friends at Twin Lakes.

Shortly before 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 21st, the Columbia Valley RCMP detachment was contacted from a cell phone with poor reception. The caller was able to relay that an accident had happened at Twin Lakes on Westrock Mine Road. The site has two circular-shaped lakes with small diameters, with rock cliffs situated to allow jumping high distances into the eastern lake.

Upon arrival, friends and family of the 38-year-old victim informed police that he had jumped into the water from between 12 and 18 metres in height. He hit the water awkwardly and did not surface. The man had experience cliff jumping into the lake since he was a child. Through murky, green water, friends and family swam to his location moments after he was expected to surface but could not find him.

Upon arrival, police activated the Columbia Valley Search and Rescue, Windermere Fire Department, and the B.C. Ambulance Service. Emergency crews searched the waters and shoreline but could not locate the man. First responders were only able to search visually. They approached the lake from every available angle to look for the man.

One side is quite steep and treacherous to walk around, said Cpl. Grant Simpson of the Columbia Valley RCMP.