The body of a Canmore, Alta. kayaker who went missing after going over a waterfall on the Cheakamus River on Sept. 28 has been recovered.
The search to recover the 19-year-old's body was suspended by RCMP because of high water levels and safety concerns at the end of September.
An RCMP press release on Monday (Oct. 15) indicated that on Saturday (Oct. 13) shortly before 3 p.m. they were notified the body of Peter Thompson had been located in the Cheakamus River. Several of the teen's friends were in the area on Saturday and observed the stern of Thompson's missing kayak sticking out of the water.
"They were able to dislodge the kayak, which still contained the body of the male," wrote Staff Sgt. Steve LeClair in the release. "The body was secured downstream and removed from the area with the assistance of Whistler Search and Rescue."
The teen was known in the community of Canmore as a skilled kayaker and also coached for the Bow Valley Kayaking Club.
RCMP and emergency services were called to the section of the river near Logger's Lake south of Whistler on Sept. 28 at 5:30 p.m.
Thompson was with two friends at the time he attempted the waterfall and did not resurface. LeClair said the friends tried to assist right away by tossing throw bags into the river. They only recovered Thompson's paddle and the next day search crews found his lifejacket nearby.
Search and rescue crews responded immediately that evening, but were unable to locate him. The next morning efforts resumed with the assistance of a helicopter and the RCMP dive team, which used underwater cameras to try and locate Thompson.
"Kayaking has some inherent risk, although many people safety kayak and many have been down that particular section without incident," LeClair said.
Meanwhile the body of a female fly-fisher has still not been recovered in the river.
On Aug. 6, 2011 a male and female who were on a guided fly-fishing tour on the Cheakamus River about 15 kilometres south of Whistler were swept away in the current.
The 30-year-old male from the Lower Mainland was found drowned about 700 metres to a kilometer downstream an hour after they were swept away. The 25-year-old female, also from the Lower Mainland, has not yet been found.
The woman lost her footing after hooking a fish and the man jumped in the river to try and save her.
