Based on coverage from The Economic Times, Castanet, Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg Free Press, and The Province.
A 17-year-old boy from Prince George has died after a boat capsized on Stony Lake in B.C.’s Cariboo region over the weekend. RCMP say three people made it to shore, but the teen, who was operating the boat, did not resurface.
Early reports described him as missing and presumed drowned, with divers expected to assist in the search. Police later confirmed his body was recovered Tuesday, three days after the capsize.
Stony Lake boat capsize near Quesnel
Quesnel RCMP say they were called to Stony Lake on Saturday evening (June 6) after getting a report that a vessel had capsized and that four people were in the water. According to police, three of the occupants managed to get to shore safely.
The fourth person, identified by RCMP as the boat’s operator, did not surface and could not be located during the initial search efforts.
Stony Lake is in the central Interior, roughly 100 kilometres northeast of Quesnel, according to one report. Another description places it about 90 kilometres southeast of Prince George, noting it’s reached by forest service roads and back roads, and is a popular spot for fishing and camping.
Prince George teen identified by RCMP
Police identified the missing boater as a 17-year-old from Prince George, and said the family was notified. RCMP spokesperson Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said in a statement that officers’ thoughts were with the teen’s family and loved ones.
On Monday, RCMP said “extensive search efforts” had been carried out but had not located the youth.
Underwater Recovery Team search and recovery
RCMP said their Underwater Recovery Team was expected to arrive Tuesday to continue the search. By Tuesday, divers recovered the teen’s body from Stony Lake, according to a later update from police carried by The Canadian Press.
RCMP have not released further details about what caused the capsize or what conditions were like on the lake at the time.
B.C. drowning deaths rise in 2026
The tragedy lands amid a warning from the B.C. Coroners Service about a rise in accidental drowning deaths this year.
The coroner’s service said nine accidental drowning deaths were recorded between March and May 2026, compared with five during the same three-month period in 2025. Chief coroner Jatinder Baidwan urged people to be extra cautious as temperatures climb, saying warmer weather brings more opportunities to get outside, along with more risk.
The coroner’s data also points to the longer-term stakes: 137 people died in boating-related drowning incidents in B.C. between 2015 and 2025.
What this means for B.C. lake safety
For families across the Interior and the North, Stony Lake is the kind of place many people head to when the weather turns. RCMP and the coroner’s service are again reminding boaters that small mistakes can turn serious fast, especially on remote lakes where help can be far away and access is limited.
Police have said the investigation and response are ongoing, but with the recovery now completed, the next steps will likely depend on what investigators can determine about the moments leading up to the capsize.
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