Coroner identifies weekend drowning as Lake Country woman

LAKE COUNTRY – The woman who drowned in Okanagan Lake over the weekend has been identified as a Lake Country resident.

Arlene Susan Westervelt, 56, was canoeing with a family member late in the afternoon of Sunday, June 26. The canoe capsized and although the male passenger was rescued by a passing boater, Westervelt never resurfaced.

An RCMP dive team found her body the following day in 12 metres of water roughtly 24 metres from shore, a coroner’s report says.

The report does not list the official cause of death, and notes the investigation is ongoing.


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Adam Proskiw

Adam has lived in B.C. most of his life. He was born in the Caribou, grew up in the Okanagan, went to university on Vancouver Island and worked as a news photographer in Vancouver. His favourite stories incorporate meaningful photography and feature interesting, passionate locals. He studied writing at UVic and photojournalism in California. He loves talking tractors, dogs and cameras and is always looking for a good story.


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