Man presumed dead after boat accident in Mission

According to the RCMP Mission, a 37-year-old man is missing following a boating accident in Nicomen Slough shortly before 6:30 p.m. Friday evening.

According to the Mounties, two men were traveling in a small flat-bottomed aluminum boat and were reportedly doing donuts on the water when they were caught in their own wake.

This resulted in the men being thrown out of the boat.

According to police, one made it to shore, but the other did not.

Despite intensive searches throughout the area, the missing person had not been found by Saturday morning.

The RCMP now says the operation is a recovery mission and it is unlikely that the missing man is still alive.

Police added that neither man was wearing a life jacket.

“This is a tragic end to what should have been a beautiful evening on the water,” said Corporal Harrison Mohr of the Mission RCMP. “Our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends and the passenger who was on the boat with him. As we enter peak boating season, please remember to always wear a life jacket when on the water, as it only takes a second for something to go horribly wrong. It’s like a seatbelt in a car – it only works if you’re wearing it.”

The RCMP mission continues to work with the search and rescue mission on this incident and will also deploy RCMP divers as needed. Search crews are expected to be on scene for most of Saturday.