Recovery efforts underway at Spray Lakes for two missing boaters

Following the drowning death of one person at Spray Lakes in Kananaskis Country on Sunday, RCMP, conservation officers and Cochrane search and rescue scoured the reservoir for two missing people Monday, who are presumed drowned.

Crews recovered the capsized vessel that four people were in. One did make it out of the water.

CTV News captured search crews bringing two large yellow bags to shore, before they were loaded in the back of police cruiser and the officer left the scene.

Much of the search efforts were focused on the west side of the lake, about 7.5 kilometres from the north end.

For one drowning awareness group this tragedy should remind everyone to be careful around bodies of water this summer.

“This incident that happened over the weekend, you know is of concern,” said Kelly Carter, CEO of Lifesaving Society for Alberta and Northwest Territories.

“But it also serves as a reminder and a highlight for everyone of the importance of water safety, that water needs to be respected. It is dangerous, and even good swimmers can still drown. And so whatever we're doing around the water, we want to make sure that we're safe.”

Carter said life jackets will save lives.

“We're on a boat, we're wearing a lifejacket,” he said.

“If we have young children, we're staying within reach, and we're keeping our eyes on them.”

RCMP have not released the identity, age or genders of the four people involved.

Investigators have not said if the boaters were wearing life jackets.

Mountain lakes are frigid this time of year, with hypothermia setting in within minutes.

RCMP and search and rescue were still on scene around 4 p.m Monday.