Tuesday, May 21, 2019 ~ VIEW ROYAL – updated May 22 with quotes from View Royal Mayor David Screech [updates to come from RCMP and CRD] [UPDATED May 23 after RCMP media availability].
- UPDATE June 12, 2019: The West Shore RCMP would like to advise that the investigation is now concluded. While we cannot provide further specifics, Investigators have determined the incident did not occur as was originally reported and suspects are no longer being sought in relation to this matter, Cst. Nancy SAGGAR, Media Relations Officer, West Shore RCMP.
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~ West Shore Voice News
West Shore RCMP are investigating a report of a 29-year-old woman who was injured after being pushed over a 40-foot cliff into the water at Thetis Lake Regional Park in View Royal.
- UPDATE May 23: The woman who was pushed off the cliff is from Sooke.
- She sustained serious bruising all along the front of her body including her legs, abdomen and chest. Apparently no deeper internal injuries were found, said West Shore RCMP Cst Nancy Saggar today. “She was out hiking alone at the time, and did not know anyone at the top of the cliff or at the bottom,” said Saggar about the May 19 victim who was pushed off the cliff from behind.
- The push came after having a conversation with the three women who have been reported by the victim. Apparently the conversation was non-confrontational. The content of the conversation is not known, said Saggar.
- Reinforcement of the no-diving, no-drinking rules at Thetis Lake is up to the Capital Regional District (CRD), said Saggar. CRD owns and operates the park. A male bystander at the bottom of the cliff asked the victim (as yet unnamed) if she required help after she swam to shore. She declined help at that point.
- RCMP says “if you had hands on this lady” we ask you to contact police to tell us “exactly what happened”. Cst Saggar added: “Definitely someone saw this.”
- RCMP is hoping witnesses will come forward. Sunday was a warm pleasant day with lots of people enjoying parks throughout the region.
- Other warnings from RCMP today: “Water and alcohol don’t mix, we know this.” And also that diving or cliff-jumping is “highly risky” including that “head injury risk is huge”.
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On the long weekend — on Sunday May 19 at approximately 3:30 pm — the woman was hiking near the first beach cliff face when she encountered a group of three unknown females who were drinking alcohol. “The victim was looking over the cliff when someone pushed her causing her to fall into the water 40 feet below,” say West Shore RCMP.
RCMP provide these details: “The three females are described as Caucasian, 20 to 30 years old, two with brown hair and one with blonde hair. They were wearing bathing suits and sunglasses. There may have been witnesses in the area including a male who offered to help the victim.”
The victim was reportedly able to swim to shore and later received medical attention for her injuries.
On Wednesday, View Royal Mayor David Screech said he questions whether safety management can be enforced. “I would support a ban on cliff jumping. I think we need more enforcements in the park, especially of the no alcohol rule,” Mayor Screech told West Shore Voice News.
Police are seeking witnesses or the person responsible to come forward to speak with investigators, says Cpl. Chris Dovell of the West Shore RCMP.
Any information can be reported to West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Many people apparently like the risk of jumping off the cliff. Back in 2017 a 26-year-old woman suffered serious head and back injuries and almost drowned after jumping off the Sunnyside Cliffs. At the time, View Royal Fire Chief Paul Hurst said there are no warning signs at Sunnyside Cliffs about the hazards and this latest incident is renewing calls for signage, fencing and banning the dangerous activity altogether. “The reality is this is a problem that’s not going away,” Hurst said. “It’s been an issue for 30 years and everybody keeps ignoring it.”
Hurst said “enough is enough” and he called on the Capital Regional District, which operates the park, to take immediate action.
“These accidents are preventable accidents and it’s high time that the powers that be start looking at the lake and looking at the cliffs and make some real decisions about what to do,” the View Royal fire chief said at the time.