Canadian rescuers recover body of drowned Christian summer camp exchange student

After two days of searching, Canadian authorities have recovered the body of the South Korean exchange student who went missing on June 8 during summer camp in British Columbia.

"On June 8 a camper tragically drowned in the waterway adjacent to camp," Young Life Mission, the organization that was running the retreat, said in a statement on June 11. "We are grateful to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canadian Coast Guard and Malibu camp staff for their tireless professional search and successful recovery efforts. We continue to grieve with and for this young man's family and to do all we can to care for and support them at this difficult time."​

Hanwoo Lee, an exchange student at Challis Junior-Senior High School, was attending a Christian youth camp at the Malibu Club, close to the Prince Louisa Inlet. Paul Kim told CBC News that his teenaged cousin was playing volleyball near a cliff, but when he tried to catch the ball, he fell beyond a safety net.

"There are a few witnesses who saw him fall off, however, they couldn't catch him," he said.

According to Kim, Lee loved going to school in Challis, Idaho, but because he did not yet have many friends, he went to church. Lee went on a trip to the Malibu Club along with 14 others from a church group. There were reportedly around 350 youth at the camp, which, according to CTV News, is located 150 kilometers north of Vancouver and can only be accessed by either plane or boat.

"The purpose of the camp was worshipping and making friends," Kim said.

Using sonar, authorities found Lee's body on Friday. The RCMP, according to an update on CTV News, said that the remains were found at a slack tide, at a time when there was less turbulence in the rapids between the Princess Louisa and Jervis inlets.