Cultus Lake – On Wednesday, July 19 ( 5PM) Chillliwack RCMP were called to Cultus Lake after receiving a report that a man in his early 20s had entered the water, reportedly to rescue a friend, and he had not resurfaced.
Emergency responders from the Chilliwack RCMP, Cultus Lake Fire Department, Search and Rescue and BC Emergency Health Services attended.
22 year old, Ajay Singh was last seen in the waters of Cultus Lake in the Main Beach area off a public dock near Fir Street.
Initial accounts from those present reported that the man did not know how to swim but entered the water in an attempt to rescue a friend whom he believed to be drowning. Information later received from Singh’s family indicates that he did, in fact, know how to swim.
A nearby boater was alerted by the sounds of people in distress and he attended the area to bring the others to safety before diving in the water himself in attempts to locate Mr. Singh.
TIMELINE
On Wednesday evening, the Cultus Lake Fire Department deployed their boat in order to search for the man but were not able to locate him. Search and Rescue and a Member of the RCMP’s Underwater Recovery Team attended to conduct a site assessment.
The RCMP Underwater Recovery Team, together with Search and Rescue and members of the Chilliwack RCMP’s Seasonal Policing Section began extensive and coordinated search efforts on Thursday morning.
The search continued for the next approximately ten hours but did not locate Mr. Singh.On Friday, July 21st, 2023, members of the Chilliwack RCMP Seasonal Policing Section made multiple patrols of Cultus Lake in attempts to locate Mr. Singh.
They were unable to locate him.On Saturday, July 22, 2023, the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team and RCMP Seasonal Policing Section resumed their search and spent approximately ten hours searching the area where Mr. Singh was last seen. They were unable to locate Mr. Singh.
On Sunday, July 23rd, the Chilliwack RCMP’s Seasonal Police Section once again conducted boat patrols of the lake.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ajay’s family and friends during this extremely difficult time,” says Sergeant Krista Vrolyk, media spokesperson for the Chilliwack RCMP. “We know that you will not rest until you have answers.
It is important that you know that our file remains active and we will continue to dedicate resources in efforts to locate Ajay so that you have those answers.”
The Chilliwack RCMP’s Seasonal Policing Section will be continue their search efforts by conducting boat patrols of Cultus Lake, Monday, July 24 and the RCMP’s Underwater Recovery Team is expected to return Tuesday, July 25 to resume their dive efforts.
