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Woman dies in swimming mishap at Vancouver Island park

38-year-old pulled from water by family member at Nanaimo’s Morningside Park on Monday
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A woman died Monday while swimming at a public beach in Nanaimo. B.C. Coroners Service is investigating the death, which has been deemed non-suspicious by Nanaimo RCMP. CHRIS BUSH/The News Bulletin

Nanaimo RCMP and the B.C. Coroners Service are investigating following a swimming mishap that claimed a woman’s life yesterday.

The incident happened shortly before 1 p.m. Monday when the 38-year-old woman and a family member were at Morningside Park in Nanaimo’s Hammond Bay area.

According to police, the victim was in an inflatable boat when she decided to go for a swim.

“She didn’t resurface for a few minutes and when she did, she appeared motionless,” said Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. “The individual on the beach swam out to her, did emergency first aid [but was] unable to resuscitate.”

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Nanaimo Fire Rescue firefighters and B.C. Ambulance paramedics worked at the scene for more than 30 minutes to try to save the woman’s life.

“She died at the scene,” O’Brien said. “Family members have been advised … Victim service are working with the family and extended family from other areas in B.C.”

O’Brien said police have found nothing suspicious about the death and the investigation is being turned over to the B.C. Coroners Service, which also attended the scene.

“I can confirm we are in the early stages of an investigation involving a female in her late 30s in what appears to be a non-suspicious death in a public beach area near Morningside Drive in Nanaimo,” said Andy Watson, B.C. Coroners Service spokesman, in an e-mail Monday night.

READ MORE: Near drowning captured on video along popular B.C. river



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Chris Bush

About the Author: Chris Bush

As a photographer/reporter with the Nanaimo News Bulletin since 1998.
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