UPDATE

The body of 29-year-old Sheilah Sweatman, a member of the Kootenay Swift Water Specialists Team, was recovered today. Sweatman drowned in the Goat River south of Creston yesterday while on a call.

RCMP

Sweatman and the search and rescue team were called out to the river after a vehicle went off Highway 21 and into the water. During the investigation into the submerged vehicle, Sweatman fell off the boat and did not surface.

The Ymir resident, originally from Manitoba, had two years experience with search and rescue.

“It is a tragic day for B.C. Volunteer Search and Rescue Team members from across B.C., who saw the loss of a teammate yesterday,” said RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk in a release. ” The death of Sheilah Sweatman marks the first time in B.C. SAR history that one of the province’s SAR volunteers was killed while in service. The RCMP and communities across B.C. offer their sincerest condolences to her family and coworkers,” said Moskaluk.

The SAR teams then continued on with the task of confirming whether there were any occupants in the submerged vehicle. Two local tow trucks attended to assist in pulling the vehicle out of the river after SAR technicians worked at securing the vehicle.

The BC Coroners Services and WorkSafe BC assisted by the Creston RCMP are investigating the death of Sheilah Sweatman.