BC Coroners Service delays inquest into the death of Sheilah Sweatman
By Nelson Daily Staff
The BC Coroners Service has announced that a planned inquest into the death of Sheilah Lorraine Sweatman has been postponed.
The inquest was scheduled to begin on Monday, June 4, in Nelson.
However, a delay has been found to be necessary to ensure availability of all required witnesses as well as counsel for parties with standing.
On the afternoon of June 29, 2011, Creston RCMP was called to the Goat River, just off Highway 21, south of Creston following a report Sheof a vehicle leaving the road and submerged in the river.
Ms. Sweatman, 29, as part of the Swift Water Rescue division within the Nelson Search and Rescue unit, was called to carry out an examination of the vehicle to determine if there were any occupants in the submerged vehicle.
At about 4:15 pm during the course of their search efforts, utilizing swift water line equipment and a swift watercraft, Sweatman went overboard into the river and did not surface.
Efforts to locate and rescue her were not successful.
The death of Sheilah Sweatman marked the first time in B.C. SAR history that one of the province’s volunteers was killed while in service.
On July 23, 2011, in Nelson more than a 1,000 SARS, police and fire department members from throughout the province and northern United States attended a memorial show support for Sweatman.
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