Another Calgary lake drowning prompts renewed calls for safety improvements - BERITAJA

On Tuesday location was a greenish emblem flying complete the formation astatine Mahogany Lake successful southeast Calgary, a motion that the reservoir was unfastened for swimming again.

But 48 hours earlier, the formation was a overmuch grimmer segment arsenic first responders pulled the assemblage of 12-year-old boy from the bottommost of the lake.

His family has confirmed the boy was Damilola Afolabi, who had only been successful Canada for 2 months.

He went missing about 7:20 p.m. Sunday and had been underwater for 43 minutes earlier he was pulled from the frigid lake.

He later died successful hospital.

Friends picture Afolabi arsenic a loving boy who was settling into his caller organization and making friends earlier his tragic passing.

His decease is not the first specified calamity astatine Lake Mahogany, which is 1 of respective organization lakes successful Calgary that don’t person lifeguards connected duty.

Just past summer, successful August 2025, witnesses reported seeing a young man going nether and not resurfacing.

As scuba divers searched for him, the belongings of different personification were discovered connected the beach, starring searchers to yet retrieve the bodies of 2 20-year-old men from the lake.

Peters Ike boy Yagazie was 1 of those young men.

Since past he’s been advocating for information improvements astatine the lake.

“I could subordinate to what they are going done correct now,” said Ike.

“I cognize what it’s for illustration — and that’s what we hoped we could prevent. I mean, for personification other not to acquisition what we experienced. So correct now, it’s arsenic if the full point conscionable came backmost again.”

Ike claims his efforts included meetings pinch the Mahogany Homeowners Association, Calgary’s mayor, section metropolis councillor and head of the reservoir operations.

Among the changes he has advocated for is improved signage astatine the reservoir and an expertise classification strategy for swimmers.

While Ike says location was a “collaborative spirit,” alteration hasn’t travel guidelines enough.

“It is about time, you know.  There’s conscionable different boy that’s very soon going to beryllium put to remainder — the first week of May, you already person 1 fatality.

BERITAJA contacted the Mahogany Homeowners Association to talk about what if immoderate information improvements person been made, but the relation responded pinch a connection saying it wanted to let the family clip to grieve.