https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canad...ks/ar-AA13cguU
Southern Alberta man drowns while working at Lake Newell dam near Brooks
October 20, 2022
A search effort is underway to recover the body of a maintenance diver who drowned Wednesday afternoon while working on a dam in a lake near Brooks in southern Alberta.
RCMP say officers received a report of a diver in distress at 3:55 p.m. at Lake Newell, south of Brooks. Mounties say the call initially came to the local fire department before police assistance was requested.
Witnesses told officers the diver was doing maintenance on a dam in the lake and never returned. The diver is reported to be a 55-year-old man from Brooks.
Police and Alberta Occupational Health and Safety officials are investigating the fatal incident.
“A diver has drowned while working in an irrigation canal. As this is an active investigation, no further information will be provided,” said Kristjanna Grimmelt, a spokeswoman for Alberta Labour and Immigration.
Mounties and emergency crews remained on scene as of Thursday morning and recovery efforts are ongoing.
RCMP say the dam is owned by the Brooks-based Eastern Irrigation District, which operates under the authority of the province.
The Eastern Irrigation District could not immediately be reached for comment.
Brooks is about 200 kilometres southeast of Calgary.
mrodriguez@postmedia.com
Sad day at Lake Newell Dam: worker dies
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