13-year-old missing after falling off paddleboard at Cultus Lake

A 13-year-old girl fell into Cultus Lake on Saturday afternoon after suffering a medical emergency while floating on a paddleboard. She was not wearing a life-jacket.

Witnesses reported the incident to Chilliwack RCMP at around 1:20 p.m. RCMP, Chilliwack Fire, B.C. Emergency Health Services, and Chilliwack Search and Rescue are conducting active search and rescue efforts. The public is being asked to avoid the Entrance Bay area.

The incident comes amid a troubling spike in drowning deaths across B.C. There have been 40 accidental drowning deaths in the province so far this year — a significant jump from 26 deaths across the same time frame in 2025. A man from Mission drowned while paddleboarding at Hayward Lake last month after falling off his board without a personal flotation device and limited swimming ability. In May, a newlywed couple died after falling off their paddleboards at Browning Lake near Squamish.

RCMP have emphasized that life-jackets are critical protection. "Unexpected factors such as hitting your head, cold water shock, undercurrents or a collision with a watercraft can all have an immediate impact on your ability to keep yourself above the water, and a simple personal flotation device could mean the difference between a fun day on the water and a sad and tragic outcome," the force said.