Rescue crews are searching the Capilano River this morning for a person, after one man died and four others were rescued when water suddenly gushed from a dam at the Capilano River in North Vancouver Thursday.
“Be aware that NSR will be flying low and slow over the Capilano River again this morning,” the North Shore Rescue said Friday, on its Facebook page.
There are reports NSR is searching for the son of the man who died. NSR spokesman Mike Danks said he could not comment as North Van RCMP has taken the lead on the investigation.
Firefighters specializing in swiftwater rescues were called into action around 2 p.m. on Thursday, according to District of North Vancouver Fire Rescue Services.
Jerry Dobrovolny, the commissioner of Metro Vancouver, says maintenance work was being done on the Cleveland Dam when a large volume of water poured into an area that controls its flow.
The spot is near a popular fishing location where several people were fishing when a torrent of water came at them.
Four of them were rescued, and the B.C. Coroners Service says it is investigating the death of one person.
Dobrovolny says Metro Vancouver will be conducting an investigation.
North Vancouver RCMP spokesman Sgt. Peter DeVries says police are continuing to investigate as they work to confirm there are no other victims.
B.C. Emergency Health Services confirmed that three paramedic units were sent to the scene. Two individuals were able to make it to shore, another two were rescued in stable condition. BCEHS Lesley Pritchard said no patients were transported to hospital.
RCMP and North Shore Search and Rescue experts were also at the scene into the evening.
The water-level chart on the metrovancouver.org site for the Capilano watershed shows a marked spike in the flow of water just after noon on Oct. 1.
