Skip to content

Richmond man drowns while swimming off Keats Island

A Richmond man who went into medical distress while swimming off the northern tip of Keats Island in the Howe Sound Sunday afternoon, has died of an apparent drowning.
keats island richmond man drowns
A Richmond man has died of an apparent drowning while swimming off of Keats Island.

A Richmond man who went into medical distress while swimming off the northern tip of Keats Island in the Howe Sound Sunday afternoon, has died of an apparent drowning.

Keats Island is northwest of Vancouver, offshore from Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast.

Sunshine Coast RCMP said the victim, who was in his 40s, had been out on a boat charter with friends and had gone swimming a few minutes before he was found in distress.

Emergency Health Services called police to assist at about 4 p.m.

“Police arrived at the Gibsons government dock and met paramedics, Coast Guard and Gibsons Fire Department who were all assisting with the male then determined to be deceased,” RCMP said.  

The BC Coroners Service is now investigating to officially determine the man’s cause of death.