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Vol. 17, No. 35, Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Paddle boarder dead following EINP accident
Concerned bystanders watch as Astotin Lake at Elk Island National Park is searched for a missing paddle boarder July 24. Unfortunately, the man’s body was located July 25 by dive teams and a cadaver dog. Photo by Crystal Moren
BY JOHN MATHER One man is dead following a paddle board accident at Elk Island National Park. Fort Saskatchewan RCMP were first notified of the incident at Astotin Lake in the park on July 23 at about 5:20 p.m. “Apparently there were two paddle boarders out on the lake when one lost sight of the other,” said Const. Lauren Mowbry of the Fort RCMP. She added the incident was being investigated by the Emergency Services of Parks Canada, since it happened within the national park’s boundaries and there was not any criminal involvement. On July 24, search efforts continued for the missing paddle boarder, a 42year-old man, with emergency crews from both Strathcona and Lamont County assisting those efforts. A helicopter was dispatched to overfly the lake but the water proved to be too murky to produce any results.
Parks Canada closed down the Astotin Lake area and the administrative road as the search continued. On July 25, Parks Canada sent out a dive team along with a cadaver dog which got a hit shortly after noon. The divers went into the water and the body of the paddle boarder was recovered. Mowbray said she had no knowledge of whether there were any drugs or alcohol involved in the accident or whether the paddle boarder was wearing a life jacket. The Astotin Lake area still remains closed to the public. Park users are encouraged to check the important bulletins section of the Elk Island National Park on the Parks Canada website for updates on the closure. Mowbray added no further identification of the person would be issued pending notification of family.
Emergency personnel from Strathcona and Lamont Counties plus RCMP search for a missing paddle boarder at Astotin Lake in Elk Island National Park on July 24. The paddle boarder went missing late July 23 and the 42-year-old’s body was recovered on July 25. Photo by Crystal Moren