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More than $20,000 has been raised to repatriate drowning victim Yuren Patel’s body back to his homeland of India.
The 23-year-old, who died at Waskesiu Lake on July 14, was a “good swimmer” but panicked in the high current before drowning, according to a GoFundMe page set up by his friend Dharmil Patel.
Patel said on GoFundMe that Yuren went swimming with his friends for the weekend at the lake’s main beach, and a friend had attempted to rescue him when he got into trouble but was unsuccessful.
“In a heartbreaking turn of events, Yuren (is) leaving behind a shattered community of friends and a devastated family across the seas. His infectious smile and unwavering determination to succeed in his life and contribute to his community will forever be cherished by those who knew him,” Dharmil wrote on the website.
Yuren was from Surat, India and funds raised will be used to transport his body back to his homeland to perform the last rites and cremation that are part of his family’s religious and cultural beliefs.
On Tuesday afternoon, the fundraiser had raised more than $20,000 and donations had been disabled.
Several drownings have been reported on Saskatchewan’s lakes this month.
In early July, a 61-year-old boater from Buffalo Narrows was found dead after his boat was discovered idling and empty on Peter Pond Lake.
On July 7, a paddleboarder died on Lake Diefenbaker, a few days after the body of a teen canoeist was found after he failed to resurface when his vessel tipped over on Lake Helene.
This week is Drowning Prevention Week in Saskatchewan, and provincial park visitors are being encouraged to practice water safety, such as wearing lifejackets.
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