A 56-year-old Vancouver man has died while tubing on the Cowichan River.

On Monday, Aug. 29 just after 6:30 p.m. the Lake Cowichan RCMP were called to help with an incident at Marie Canyon off of Riverbottom Road.

According Sgt. Chris Manseau, acting senior media relations officer for the B.C. RCMP, witnesses reported the man had been tubing with friends and had planned to get out of the water before the Marie Canyon rapids but he was unable to do so.

鈥淭he friends of the deceased lost sight of him, but later located him approximately 500 metres down the river,鈥� Manseau said. 鈥淲hen the man was found he was in immediate medical distress, and first aid measures were given immediately.鈥�

Paramedics and members of the Lake Cowichan Fire Department also assisted with life saving measures but the man died at the scene, police said.

鈥淭he Cowichan River is a very popular spot for tubing and swimming, and the RCMP want to remind those partaking to use caution as sudden changes in the river can cause unforeseen hazards,鈥� Manseau said. 鈥淭hough important, swimming skills alone aren鈥檛 always enough to save a life. Many drowning incidents involve other factors that swimming skills alone cannot prepare an individual for.鈥�

The identity of the victim has not been released by police.

The Lake Cowichan RCMP and BC Coroners Service are investigating.