Summer proving deadly on the water

PEACHLAND – A Peachland man is the latest drowning victim this summer in the Thompson-Okanagan.

David Bernard Mulhall, 70, died while snorkeling in Okanagan Lake near Peachland.

According to the BC Coroners Service, Mulhall went alone to the beach at the foot of Beach Ave. in Peachland Saturday afternoon. He was seen going into the water, but he didn’t come out.

Mulhall, a long-time diving and snorkeling enthusiast, was found a short time later on the lake bottom. He was rushed to Kelowna General Hospital, but died later that day.

Both the Coroners Service and the RCMP are investigating the drowning.

Muhall is one of 5 people that died in water related activities this past weekend in B.C.

In the Thompson-Okanagan, 8 people have drowned so far this summer.

Two men from Keremeos died in two separate incidents just this past weekend.

A 45-year-old Keremeos man drowned in Heart Lake, north of Hedley, on Saturday while fishing with a friend.

Also on Saturday, a 19 year old Keremeos man drowned while rafting in the Similkameen River.

There have been over 40 drowning deaths already this summer in B.C. That’s twice as many when compared to last year.