Teenager in critical condition after near-drowning at Vancouver Island lake

A teenager was taken to hospital in critical condition after being rescued from Langford Lake on Saturday afternoon, according to authorities.

Firefighters were called for a water rescue around 2 p.m. after reports of an unresponsive patient, Chief Chris Aubrey of Langford Fire Rescue told CTV News.

He said the department responded with its fire boat, and upon arrival paramedics and police were attending to the youth on the swim dock.

The West Shore RCMP said in a social media post it was called to the lake for a report of a drowning.

Bystanders pulled the 17-year-old out of the water and performed life-saving measures until first responders arrived, police said. “We thank these individuals for their help,” the post reads.

The fire chief said he doesn’t know what led up to the incident, but bystanders performed CPR on the youth before crews arrived.

“As the patient was out of the water, our role was to transport first responders and the patient to and from the swim dock while BCEHS attend to the medical needs,” Aubrey wrote in an email.

BC Emergency Health Services told CTV News it got the call just before 2 p.m. and sent two ambulances and a supervisor to the scene.

Paramedics treated the youth at the scene and transported them to hospital in critical condition.

“We obviously are hoping for a successful outcome and that the patient is able to recover and our thoughts are with friends and family of the patient,” Aubrey wrote.

The fire chief added that incidents at any of the lakes in Langford are rare, with the fire department getting one call every four to five years.

With the summer season ramping up, Aubrey reminded any lakegoers to always swim with a buddy, wear a lifejacket whenever in a boat, and never drink alcohol while swimming or boating.