Bodies of canoe tragedy recovered, identified

NEW DENVER — The bodies of two teens and a young man have been recovered from Slocan Lake, and the B.C. Coroners Service has confirmed their identities.

They are: Hayden Kyle, 21; Skye Donnet, 18; and Jule Wiltshire-Padfield, 15. Wiltshire-Padfield was from New Denver, while Kyle and Donnet were originally from Gibsons, but had most recently also been living in New Denver.

The three — who were unofficially identified earlier — were recovered from about 150 metres of water in Slocan Lake today (Wednesday) with the assistance of the Idaho-based search company, Ralston & Associates.

A fourth victim of the same incident — Lily Harmer-Taylor, aged 19, also from New Denver — was rescued from the water on May 10, the day of the incident, but could not be resuscitated.

The four were travelling in a canoe on Slocan Lake on May 10 when, at about 5:30 p.m., something went wrong and they ended up in the frigid water about 150 metres offshore, out from the historic Molly Hughes mine.

Passers-by on shore noticed the group in trouble a few minutes later, and went for help. When New Denver Fire Search and Rescue arrived on scene, only Harmer-Taylor was found, unresponsive near the canoe. Earlier searches were unsuccessful because of the depth of the lake.

The coroners service and RCMP continue to investigate.