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Updated - Nanaimo man dead after Alberni kayaking mishap

A 26-year-old Nanaimo man is dead after a kayaking mishap on the Cameron River outside of Alberni on Tuesday night.

The body of a 26-year-old kayaker from Nanaimo who died on the Cameron River has been recovered.

Alberni Valley Rescue Squad members retrieved the man’s body from the river’s edge at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, RCMP Cpl. Jen Allan said.

Emergency personnel including police, fire and Port Alberni Search and Rescue responded to a call for help at an area off of Cameron Maine near Mt. Arrowsmith at approximately 9 p.m. on Tuesday night, RCMP Cpl. Jenn Allan said.

There, a man from Nanaimo reported that he and his 26-year-old friend were kayaking when the friend's kayak tipped then trapped the man under a log. Efforts to resuscitate him failed.

"The man hiked out of the area until he found a place where his cellphone could call out and he called for help," Allan said.

Search and rescue crews were unable to recover the man's body on Tuesday night. They've been on the scene working to recover the body since first light though.

Recovering the body will be difficult. "He's located below a 300 foot canyon," Allan said.

Both men were experienced kayakers, Allan said.

The deceased's name isn't being released pending notification of next of kin, Allan said.

reporter@albernivalleynews.com

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*Edited to reflect correct age.