Deep diving gear needed to recover victim who crashed into Okanagan Lake

A special dive team will be travelling to Kelowna to help in the recovery of the body of a driver whose vehicle plunged into Okanagan Lake north of Traders Cove last weekend.

The vehicle crashed into the lake on Westside Road, Friday evening, June 16, and is so deep regular scuba divers can't reach it.

Divers can only go down 40 metres, so a surface-supplied air diving system is needed. A hose with an oxygen mix runs from a boat on the surface to the divers who drop down to the vehicle.

The divers are coming from the Lower Mainland and will have to acclimatize before taking the dive, according to an email from Kelowna RCMP.

"This is a complex recovery and will require the assistance from several vessels, including the (Central Okanagan Search and Rescue) landing vessel, RCMP vessels and a barge," the email reads.

The RCMP underway rescue team is returning to the lake toward the end of June, but no exact date was provided.

“We simply ask that the public provide the family some privacy during this process and remind vehicles and vessels alike to remain out of the area as it may significantly and dangerously interfere with recovery efforts (i.e waves from passing vessels),” the email says.

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