Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / First responders have been called out to help with a drowning at Vedder River Saturday, October 25.

By Alyssa Conti

CAMPGROUND DROWNING

UPDATE: Chilliwack RCMP confirm 41-year-old fisherman located deceased

Oct 25, 2025 | 9:13 AM

UPDATE, 2 P.M. SATURDAY: Chilliwack RCMP now say a 41-year-old fisherman is confirmed deceased following this morning’s rescue efforts that spanned several hours.

According to a statement from Chilliwack RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Alexandra Mulvihill, police received information Saturday morning, Oct. 25 at 7:40 a.m. about a possible drowning. Police were notified from the Chilliwack Fire Department that they were attending the Vedder River for a reported drowning.

RCMP members attended and joined fire crews and Chilliwack Search and Rescue personnel in trying to locate the male. SAR deployed drones, a boat and helicopter in the rescue/ recovery attempt. Witnesses on scene report seeing the male across from the Vedder campground and he appeared to be trying to cross the lake. He was dressed in clothing consistent with being in the area to fish, Sgt. Mulvihill.

At approximately 10:30 a.m., the male was located in the water by the railway bridge. He was confirmed deceased and brought to shore.

The victim is a 41-year-old male from Langley, Sgt. Mulvihill confirmed.

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“Chilliwack RCMP would like to remind everyone that it has been raining extremely heavily and river and lake levels may not be as expected and can change rapidly.  Please consult the appropriate websites for the area you are going to be in for the latest information,” Sgt. Mulvihill said.

Original story: 

CHILLIWACK — Emergency crews were on the scene at a Chilliwack campground after reports of a possible drowning Saturday morning (Oct. 25).

At around 7:40 a.m., crews were dispatched to Vedder River Campground by the end of Giesbrecht Road for a fisherman who had fallen into fast-moving waters.

Duty fire chief Krista Minar told Fraser Valley Today that firefighters from halls 1, 3 and 4 responded to the scene to help with downstream containment before being cleared by RCMP.

Scanner traffic reports a nearby fisherman found the patient on the north side of the river, under the Yarrow-area railway crossing, shortly after 10:30 a.m.

SAR was paged out to retrieve him, but BCEHS says no patient was taken to hospital.

We have reached out to RCMP for comment. More information will be added as it becomes available.