Bridge jump turns tragic, as woman accidentally dies

Jumping off a bridge with friends to cool down proved fatal for a 23-year-old woman from New Zealand.

Police in Sicamous said they were called to an emergency scenario on Wednesday at 2 a.m. after learning that four people had jumped off a bridge into the Sicamous Channel. Three of the four surfaced after making the 20-metre leap, but the fourth did not. The bridge connects the Shuswap and Mara Lakes.

“It sounds like maybe it was a warm evening at 2 o’clock in the morning and they decided to jump from the bridge into the water below maybe to cool off,” said Sicamous RCMP sergeant Janelle Shoiyet.

Shoiyet says the young woman didn’t resurface, her friends jumped in and dragged her out  of the water, but she never regained consciousness.

B.C. Ambulance transported the woman to a local hospital. She was later transferred to another hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Shoiyet says there are warning signs on the bridge.

“You know if those signs are in place, they’re in place to ensure the safety of everybody. And to please heed those warnings because we don’t want to see anymore of these fatalities this year.”

Police said the woman’s identity will not be released, adding they believe no foul play was involved with her death.

“Tragically, this is the second water-related death in Sicamous this summer,” said Sicamous RCMP sergeant and detachment commander Murray McNeil. “While we want to encourage people to get out and enjoy all that the area has to offer, we cannot stress enough the importance of paying attention to advisories and signage which are put in place to ensure your safety.”

Source: Global news