15-year old dead after falling into waterfall near Revelstoke

A 15-year-old girl has died after she fell into Akolkolex Falls near Revelstoke over the weekend, RCMP say.

Revelstoke RCMP said in a statement police were called to the area around 6 p.m. on July 16 for reports that the teenager from Kamloops had lost her footing on slippery rocks and fallen into the falls.

Her stepfather, Kamloops-based photographer Ryan Fisher, dove in to try to rescue her, it said. It's unclear how far down either of them fell. 

Witnesses said they didn't see either party resurface.

With the help of a search and rescue helicopter, police say Fisher was pulled out of the water and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. His friend Gordon Leary, who has been by his side in the hospital, says Fisher suffered broken ribs, a cracked sternum and vertebrae and a broken foot, among other things. 

"I mean, that's just the physical stuff," Leary told Daybreak Kamloops host, Shelley Joyce, noting the emotional toll the loss of his stepdaughter is taking. 

Tragically, the 15-year-old girl was found dead the next day.

RCMP say the B.C. Coroners Service is investigating.

Akolkolex Falls is located just off the shores of Upper Arrow Lake in the province's Interior.

CBC News has reached out to Revelstoke Search and Rescue and B.C. Emergency Health Services for more information.

Leary says it's no surprise his friend would jump in to try to save someone in need of help. 

"He's probably the most stand-up guy now," he said.

Fisher is well-known in the Kamloops area for his nature photography, which is what brought him and Leary together. The pair often go out in search of the perfect photo. 

"We've been out on many occasions, and if you're not prepared ... he's the first person to lend you a coat or give you whatever he's got on his back."