A serious boat crash on Seton Lake in Lillooet early Sunday morning claimed the lives of three people.
Lillooet RCMP is investigating the crash in consultation with the RCMP West Coast Marine Services and the BC Coroners Service.
On June 27, 2021 just before 2 am, a beach goer called 9-1-1 to report that he had overheard a powerboat pass his location, which was followed by the sound of a loud bang.
Hampered by the darkness, the civilian complainant estimated that the marine incident had been unfolding approximate 1 kilometer off shore of Seton Lake.
A short time after 7 a.m., a civilian boater in the area located a partially capsized boat and observed deceased persons in the water nearby.
With the assistance of the Seton Fire Department, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and search and rescue personnel the wreckage and three deceased individuals were recovered from the crash site.
The BC Coroners Service has been notified and has launched its own concurrent fact-finding investigation to determine how each of the deceased came to their unexpected deaths.
An identity of each of the deceased has been established by investigators. The families of the two men and one woman have been notified. Their identities will not be released publicly due to their privacy under the Coroner’s Act.
The investigation into this tragic incident is in its very early stages, states Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey. Lillooet RCMP, with support from the RCMP West Coast Marine Section will be probing the circumstances that contributed to the fatal crash.
The RCMP will share its findings with the BC Coroners Service who is carrying out its own investigation into the unexpected deaths of each of the deceased.
Alanna Derosier says
If it was reported at 2am…why????did noone go look til 7am…
Gayle Moore says
Times are changing….time we have a good plan in place for the lake and all backroads. Nothing at the lake. Some buoys with solar lights would make a difference. We need to be more connected, more protected, and more aware that times are changing and we need more than nothing!
Remmy says
Lillooet has apparently no Emergency Action plan, to rescue any incidenton the lake at night. The people who called it in said they heard their screams. But to no avail, the rescuers didn’t get to them until 8am* the next day, even though daylight begins at 5am.
Bonny Forsyth says
The amount of time that passed between the horrible accident and the arrival of the RCMP is discussing. The BC Hydro have boats that could have been used with flood lights. I saddens me that the delay was so long. Were they afraid of the dark????????? Time is can be crucial!