Man drowns after jumping into quarry near Great Falls Dam, Manitoba RCMP say

A 21-year-old man drowned Sunday after he jumped into a quarry near the Great Falls Dam, RCMP say. 

The man, from the rural municipality of St. Anne, was with friends when he entered the water, Manitoba RCMP said in a news release. 

He started struggling to swim, went under and did not come up. 

Several of his friends tried to help him but could not get to him, the news release said. 

Bystanders came to assist, and he was pulled from the water. 

"It's a tragedy," said Cpl. Julie Courchene, spokesperson for the Manitoba RCMP. "Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of this young man. I mean it's a hard, difficult time for everybody."

It was challenging for officers to reach the area, she said.

Manitoba Hydro employees opened up a gated road leading to the quarry and took them by boat as well, she said. Officers went by ATV along a trail to reach the quarry.

Chad Saxon, a representative for STARS, said Sunday that the air ambulance was called to the scene around 3:10 p.m.

Bystanders and local paramedics were already working to resuscitate the man when STARS arrived, Saxon said.

Local paramedics took the man to the closest hospital in nearby Pine Falls, where he was pronounced dead.

It's not clear yet what happened when the man entered the water, Courchene said.

"Not sure we'll even ever get those answers, but any time you're near water, wear a life jacket, know where you are, your surroundings, make sure you're swimming with other people and of course know your abilities."

The Great Falls Dam is on the Winnipeg River, about 100 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

Social media has led to the quarry becoming more popular with people who aren't as familiar with the area as the locals, Courchene said.

Powerview RCMP are investigating.