Drowning Victim Identified

The man who drowned in Skaha Lake on July 19th has been identified.

Javier Francisco Aquina-Meza was swimming with his toddler when he accidentally walked into the deep water of Skaha Lake. He was 27 and was visiting Penticton with his family from Edmonton.

Witnesses say he was playing with his two-year old when he went under the water and failed to surface.

Regional Coroner Bruce Chamberlain says that even though people nearby were able to pull him out of the water quickly, they were unable to revive him.

“This is unbelievably tragic for the family. He was just swimming in the lake with his child and something happened and he gets into some trouble,” says Chamberlain.

He says that Aquina-Meza was just learning how to swim. His body will likely be released to his family in the next day or two.