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Vernon  

Teen still in critical condition

UPDATE WEDNESDAY JULY 2 4:00 P.M.

North Okanagan RCMP say the young boy struck by a boat on Okanagan Lake Saturday remains in critical condition in hospital. 

Constable Gerry Kovacs says they are continuing to investigate the incident and are now asking for anyone who may have witnessed it to contact Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171. 

Th information RCMP have now is that on June 28 at approximately 6:10 p.m. a group of friends were boating on Okanagan Lake pulling tubers.

A 49-year-old woman was driving the boat and making waves in the water. A teenage boy from Vernon fell off the tube and was subsequently struck by the boat as it circled around.

"The teen was struck by the propeller and suffered multiple life threatening injuries to several parts of his body," says Kovacs.

He was pulled from the water and transported to Kelowna General Hospital where he remains in critical condition.

RCMP say alcohol was not a factor.

If you witnessed the accident or have any information for police please call the Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171. 


ORIGINAL STORY:

A teenager is in critical condition after a tubing accident on Okanagan Lake Saturday.

RCMP said a family and other friends were boating and tubing on Okanagan Lake when a teenage male fell off the tube. 

The woman who was driving the boat circled to pick him up, but struck the teen in the water. The boy suffered multiple life-threatening injuries to his head, arms and legs from being hit by the propeller.

BC Ambulance confirmed that at 6:10 p.m. Saturday evening, air ambulance was called to transport a youth injured in a boating accident. 

The helicopter landed near the intersection of Mary Anns Road and Westside Road near Vernon. The youth was transported to Kelowna General Hospital. He was listed as being in critical condition. 

A witness who happened to be in the hospital at the time for a CT scan said she saw a boy on a blood-covered stretcher being wheeled past her. She was told that the boy had been boating with his father on Okanagan Lake when he was hit by the boat. 

She said the boy had tourniquets on both arms to staunch heavy bleeding and was also wearing a cervical collar. A team of six emergency personnel were with him, including two that were carrying red coolers. 

The boy was considered to be insufficiently stable for a CT scan and was being transferred back to emergency while she was there.

RCMP said that alcohol was not a factor in the incident. 

More details to follow. 

 



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