Sunshine Coast RCMP are investigating the third fatal motor vehicle accident on the Coast in five weeks.
Jasmine Lanteigne, a 17-year-old Grade 12 student from Pender Harbour Secondary, died Wednesday night after the vehicle she was driving plunged into Garden Bay Lake.
Police and emergency personnel attended the single-vehicle accident just after 11 p.m.
According to Sunshine Coast RCMP Cpl. Don Newman, emergency personnel were summoned after a female passenger ran to a local pub for help.
"It was determined that the 19-year-old female passenger had managed to free herself from the vehicle after it drove into Garden Bay Lake," said Newman. "The 17-year-old driver did not manage to escape the vehicle."
Newman said the vehicle was fully submerged when emergency crews arrived.
"Local divers assisted in locating the vehicle and removing the female driver from the vehicle," Newman said. "Resuscitation attempts were commenced immediately, but due to the time submerged, all efforts were unsuccessful. It is estimated the deceased female was submerged for approximately 100 minutes."
Police investigation is ongoing, but according to Newman, many factors are being considered as possible contributors to the accident. These include weather conditions (fog patches in the area), driver inexperience and possible alcohol involvement.
On Thursday morning, School District No. 46 officials were at the high school and nearby Madeira Park Elementary School offering grief counselling and assistance.
Superintendent of schools Stewart Hercus said it's a tragic loss for the tight-knit community.
"She went to both schools. There isn't a teacher who didn't know her or teach her," Hercus said. "We'll have counsellors and our crisis response team at both schools today, tomorrow and next week if necessary. This is a small school, so it's hard on the students and the teachers. Everyone is having a tough time dealing with this.
"We're getting too many of these."
