A boat trip on the Pine River ends tragically

One man has lost his life after a riverboat incident on the Pine River, west of Chetwynd.

The Chetwynd RCMP received a report on Sunday, September 29, of a missing person shortly after an incident on the Pine River just west of Chetwynd involving a male and a riverboat.

The Chetwynd RCMP quickly responded to the scene, where they learned that an adult male and a child were on the shore of the river, when they had noticed that the boat had begun to float away down river.

In the attempt to retrieve the boat, the male quickly jumped in the river and was seen going under the surface.

A member of the Dawson Creek Search and Rescue was already on the scene, and the young child was found safe and unharmed.

Fort St. John Search and Rescue was called in to help locate the missing man. Unfortunately, he was discovered on the shore downstream from the boat launch, deceased.

The Chetwynd RCMP expressed their gratitude in a media release to Dawson Creek Search & Rescue, Fort St. John Search & Rescue, as well as Emergency Health Services, Public Disaster Services, and Victim Services for their support.

The BC Coroners Service is overseeing the investigation, and the RCMP will not be providing any additional information.