Presumed drowning death reignites calls for river safety in Kamloops, B.C., but city says it's not that simple

The presumed death of an international student who was swept away in the Thompson River last weekend was "entirely foreseeable [and] entirely preventable," according to a Kamloops, B.C., resident who saved two students from a similar fate last year.

Robert Griffiths, who says he nearly drowned during his rescue efforts near the city's airport last summer, says the city has done nothing to increase safety in popular areas along the river, such as increasing signage or installing life rings.

But a City of Kamloops official says installing safety equipment could actually increase the risk of drownings by giving the impression that dangerous areas of the river are safe to swim in — exposing the city to liability.

On July 6, a Thompson Rivers University international student was playing volleyball on a popular local beach at Overlanders Park when the ball went into the water.

When the man in his 20s went to retrieve it, he got swept away in the strong currents, despite attempts by two friends to rescue him.

Police, firefighters and two search and rescue teams have done extensive searches of the area, but the man has not been found and the search is now considered a recovery mission, according to Kamloops Search and Rescue.

The tragedy prompted Griffiths, 53, to once again call on the City of Kamloops to boost safety measures.

"We should be taking a more proactive approach to communicating hazards and risks for residents and visitors and guests to our city," he told CBC News.

Griffiths, who is an industrial safety manager, says he has called for these changes a number of times since his own rescue effort last year, but nothing has been done.

But a city official says there are no plans to install additional signs or life rings at unsanctioned swimming areas in the city, explaining that suggested changes would be legally risky and could actually entice people into dangerous water.

City of Kamloops director of protective services Ken Uzeloc says Riverside Beach — upstream from where the student was swept away on the weekend — is the only beach in the city that's considered safe for swimming, and only within roped areas when lifeguards are working. 

"If we start opening up other beaches and putting safety equipment along there, it does give that indication, 'OK, well, they're putting this here in case something happens, so it must be OK to swim in this area,'" Uzeloc said.

Uzeloc says all of the rivers around Kamloops are deceptively dangerous.

"On top, it may look calm and smooth, but underneath there's quite a current to it. It goes very fast. The water is cold and even experienced swimmers can have difficulty when they get into that current."