Teen dies in cliff-jumping accident on Vancouver Island
A 17-year-old died after jumping off a cliff into Comox Lake over the weekend, according to authorities.
The Comox Valley RCMP says officers were called to an area known as Devil's Ladder around 9:45 p.m. Saturday, after reports a youth jumped into the water and failed to resurface.
Paddleboarders in the area performed CPR on the boy right away and firefighters took over shortly after, but the teen was pronounced deceased in hospital, according to police.
'This is a heartbreaking loss for the community,' said RCMP spokesperson Const. Monika Terragni, in a news release. 'A young life, just 17 years old — it's a tragedy that touches everyone, whether you knew him personally or not.'
The BC Coroners Service is also investigating the death and police say there's no evidence criminality was involved.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
31 minutes ago
- CTV News
Homelessness in Toronto has more than doubled since 2021, according to latest Street Needs Assessment
A new report says Toronto's homelessness crisis is growing, with Black and Indigenous people being overrepresented among those on the street.
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
All criminal trials in four B.C. courts to be rescheduled during FIFA World Cup
The chief justice of the British Columbia Supreme Court says all criminal trials that were to take place in Vancouver, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and New Westminster during the FIFA World Cup next year will have to be rescheduled. Chief Justice Ron Skolrood says in a notice posted Monday that the tournament is expected to have 'very significant impacts' on court operations at the affected Supreme Court locations. The notice says neither jury nor judge-only criminal trials will take place at the four locations from June 12 to July 8, 2026, and that no civil jury trials will take place either. It says the number of non-jury civil trials may also have to be reduced in the lead up to the tournament. The notice cites the draw on police resources around the Lower Mainland, heavy traffic that will make it difficult for sheriffs to transport suspects, and a potential lack of hotel rooms for jurors and out-of-town witnesses. B.C. top court judge hears arguments in constitutional challenge of province's Mental Health Act Skolrood says the court is committed to having enough capacity for 'urgent matters,' but the service reductions during the tournament are 'unavoidable.' 'The full extent of the impacts is uncertain and will remain so for some time,' the notice says. 'We do know that the effects on the police and sheriff resources required to participate in or support the court's operations will be substantial, particularly in respect of criminal trials and jury trials.' In a statement, B.C. Conservatives Attorney General Critic Steve Kooner says the disruptions are due to 'poor planning involving policing shortages' and he calls for a review of all the cases impacted by the FIFA World Cup games. 'The public deserve to know how many criminals will walk free because the Premier (David Eby) failed to plan for the world's largest sporting event,' Kooner says in the statement.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
‘It could have been a lot worse,' says witness, after pedestrian hit, several vehicles damaged during alleged impaired driving crash in Scarborough
A female pedestrian and five others were taken to the hospital following a crash in Scarborough on July 6. (Kamran/video) It was a chaotic and confusing scene on one street in north Scarbrough on Sunday night after an alleged impaired driver plowed into a female pedestrian then struck several vehicles, some of which were occupied. The incident happened in the Milliken neighbourhood, near Passmore Avenue and Middlefield Road, just after 9 p.m., and involved 10 vehicles – directly or indirectly, police said in a follow-up news release. Investigators say a male suspect was operating a black Acura TLX westbound on Passmore heading towards Middlefield when he struck a woman before crashing into several parked and stationary vehicles, which sustained varying levels of damage. The driver allegedly attempted to run away but was caught by police a short time later at a nearby park. Driver Scarborough alleged impaired crash July 6 A female pedestrian and five others were taken to the hospital following a crash in Scarborough on July 6. (Kamran/video) In total, six people were taken to the hospital, including a 45-year-old female pedestrian. Paramedics told CTV News Toronto that they also assessed seven people at the scene. The patients' injuries are described as minor and non-life-threatening. On Monday, a tire from the Acura could be seen on the ground near where the incident occurred. Debris was also scattered across several metres as police continued their investigation. Tire July 6 crash Scarborough A tire from an Acura operated by an alleged impaired driver is seen on the ground near where the July 6 crash occurred. (Kamran/photo) Several eyewitnesses spoke with CTV News Toronto, sharing details about what they saw and heard. They said that a man driving a black car was seen speeding into the area before hitting a female pedestrian and crashing into a number of vehicles. They described the motorist as being disoriented – with blood on his shirt - before taking off. CTV News Toronto has also obtained video of the incident from a viewer. 'I heard some banging sound,' said one man, who was sitting not far away with friends at the time of the crash. Another man said he estimated that the motorist was driving at 140 km/h in the posted 60 km/h zone. Driver hits parked vehicles Scarborough July 6 A driver has been arrested after allegedly crashing into several vehicles in northwest Scarborough on July 6. (Screengrab from video/Kamran) 'It was just a loud bang that just continued on. The car came on Passmore Avenue and then hit multiple cars along the way. And the debris, you can still see (it) over there,' said Syed Abbas, whose vehicle was damaged during the incident. 'And then (the car) went across … jumped on the curb and hit multiple cars on that direction too. Then he fled on foot.' Syed Abbas, July 6 Scarborough crash witness Syed Abbas' vehicle was damaged during the July 6 incident. Abbas, who said he was shocked by what happened and concerned for the wellbeing of his child walking nearby, was back at the scene on Monday trying to fix his damaged tire. 'It could have been a lot worse,' says witness He says at the time of the incident the area was busy with several Shiite Muslims celebrating Ashoura, a holy day of commemoration that falls on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram. Just hours earlier thousands were in that area and the streets were packed, Abbas said. 'It could have been a lot worse. … If it was just a couple of hours earlier, I couldn't have imagined. There were people walking everywhere over here,' he said. Another member of the nearby mosque who was also in the area for the event said his rear tire and back bumper were damaged. He told CTV News Toronto that he was sitting on the grass with friends when they heard a loud bang. The man said he looked over and saw the motorist swerving in and around his vehicle and other parked vehicles along that stretch of roadway before fleeing his vehicle while other mosque members chased him. Kareem Mohammed Kareem Mohammed, 36, of Markham, is facing several charged in connection with a July 6 collision in Scarborough. (Alexandra Newbould/sketch) The motorist, 36-six-year-old Markham resident Kareem Mohammed, has been charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, operation of a motor vehicle while impaired to any degree by BAC or drug, within 2 hrs. of ceasing to operate a motor vehicle is impaired with BAC equal to or exceeding 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, and possession of a weapon, and two counts of fail to stop at scene of accident. The charges have not been proven in court. He appeared in bail court this afternoon. This investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact Toronto police or Crime Stoppers anonymously. With files from CTV News Toronto's Sean Leathong
