Photo: Contributed

Following witness accounts that friends were asked to jump back in the water and retrieve the body of a youth who later died in hospital following a tragic incident Saturday at Gellatly Bay in West Kelowna, police say first responders were indeed involved in pulling the youth from Okanagan Lake.

Castanet received several reports from people at the scene that they were asked to go back in the lake at Gellatly Bay Park. Jaxsn Cahill later died at Kelowna General Hospital.

The 15 year old was fished from the water about 1 a.m. after jumping off the old wharf recreational structure in the park.

"The situation was dynamic, and no doubt stressful for all individuals involved, including witnesses and even the emergency first responders at the scene," says RCMP Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey. "Police and other first responders first focused on what had happened, and where the missing individual might be, while taking steps to ensure no one else was unnecessarily placed in harm's way.

"While one of the officers at the scene was removing his personal protective equipment, a person known to the victim did enter the water to assist. However, police, firefighters and paramedics were actively involved in locating and pulling the male youth from the water and then immediately began CPR, while also confirming the safety of others involved."

The BC Coroners Service is investigating the death.