17-year-old dies after drowning accident in Greater Victoria

UPDATE 10:20 a.m.

McKay’s family confirmed on the GoFundMe page that the 17-year-old died from his injuries on Wednesday afternoon (June 19).

“It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that Keron passed away peacefully late yesterday afternoon. His family was with him. Please continue to support his family in their grief,” the page said.

Original:

17-year-old Keron McKay drowned in Langford Lake on Saturday, June 15, and is currently in critical condition. A family friend is hoping to raise money for the teen’s family.

Nicola Lenton, a co-worker of McKay’s father, according to the GoFundMe page, set up the page to support the family of five by helping with medical costs, transportation and food while the teenager was in hospital.

“(Mckay’s father) works very hard to support his family and maintains a very positive, happy and caring environment for his children,” the page says.

At around 2 p.m., West Shore Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were helped by several passersby to pull the teenager out of the water, police said in a news release following the incident.

While some passersby rescued the teenager, others helped rescuers get to the floating dock in their boats. Once there, police, firefighters and paramedics administered “life-saving measures” to the teenager, as the RCMP described on social media, before he was taken to hospital.

The Langford Fire Department also used its boat to transport the person to the ambulance.

A witness described the incident as an incident in the new port area near the YMCA. At least two ambulances, a fire truck and four police cars were on the scene.