First responders rush to Cultus Lake for possible drowning Thursday

CULTUS LAKE – Chilliwack RCMP members, Cultus Lake firefighters and B.C. EHS paramedics have rushed to Cultus Lake Thursday afternoon for the report of a possible drowning.

According to a statement from Upper Fraser Valley RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Alexandra Mulvihill, police are on scene at Entrance Bay at Cultus Lake Provincial Park for a report of a possible drowning.

The call came in at 12:42 p.m. Thursday.

“The call came in to us at 12:42 p.m., so it is in its very early investigative stages. Fire, EHS, and SAR are either all on scene or have been requested. I can not confirm the status of any person at this time,” Sgt. Mulvihill said.

Local resident Tyler Man tells Fraser Valley Today that he saw three RCMP officers and an ambulance racing southbound on Vedder Road near Fred’s Tackle with lights and sirens activated. He later saw another RCMP unit with a boat atop a trailer racing toward Cultus on Vedder just minutes later.

According to scanner traffic, a person was reported to be under the water for 10 minutes, but this has not been confirmed by authorities.

In her email to Fraser Valley Today, Sgt. Mulvihill was quick to point out she did not have an official update or status on the person who may have drowned.

Dispatch advised first responders that divers would be needed.

Cultus Lake Fire was paged for additional manpower to respond.

Cultus Lake Fire crews radioed dispatch at 1:30 p.m. to ask that Cultus Lake Community School be set up for a landing zone.

Chilliwack SAR members will be tasked with setting up the landing zone.