A New Westminster man is lucky to be alive after he was pulled from the chilly waters of the Fraser River by two local cops on Saturday.
At about 4:30 p.m. on April 25, New Westminster police received multiple calls of a man crying for help while he clung to the side of a capsized canoe near the Queensborough Bridge, according to a media release.
Two officers, Const. Stu Hagen, a member of the department’s marine unit, and Const. Nick Dion, boarded Shaw 1 the New Westminster police boat and headed down river to where witnesses had reported seeing the man in distress.
“Hagen and Dion were on scene within minutes and managed to locate the capsized canoe with the male still clinging to the side. The members pulled the male to safety on Shaw 1 while also managing to pull the capsized canoe out of the river and onto the deck of Shaw 1,” stated the release.
The 54-year-old man, who was in the water for about five minutes, according to police, escaped without any injuries.
“Hagen and Dion responded quickly and with the help of witnesses were able to locate this male and put their training to use to rescue him from the rushing river,” said Chief Const. Dave Jones in the release. “The quick deployment of Shaw 1 and the actions of constables Hagen and Dion very likely saved this individual’s life.”
