VPD renews appeal for information about drowning victim

Vancouver Police have released a video appeal for new details about a woman who drowned in the waters off Spanish Banks in late September, and hope the power of social media may lead to information about who she was.

"Someone out there knew this woman and loved her, but probably doesn’t yet know about her tragic death," says Sergeant Steve Addison. "Nobody should die in anonymity, and we’re asking anyone who sees this video to share it with their social networks so we can identify her and inform her loved ones."

The woman – she appears Black and in her 30s, with short black hair and distinctive freckles on her face – was found floating in the waters off Spanish Banks, near UBC, around 9 p.m. on September 29. A tugboat crew found her and brought her to shore, where first responders tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate her.

She was wearing a backpack, but had no wallet or identification. A blue inflatable kayak and an orange life vest was found floating nearby. A vial of insulin was also found near the woman, and investigators believe she may have been a diabetic who suffered medical distress before capsizing and falling into the water.

"We’ve been working for weeks to identify her, but we still don’t know who she is or exactly what happened to her," says Sergeant Addison. "Because we don’t know who she is, we believe she may have been a newcomer to Canada or a traveler who hasn’t yet been reported missing."

Visit VPD on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok to view and share the video.