The body of a 25-year-old American tourist who drowned after jumping into a fast-moving creek at a popular Canadian waterfall has been recovered nearly a month after he disappeared beneath the surface, ending a distressing search that saw his family hire a private diver from California after official efforts were suspended.
Pavlo Shemchuk, who was visiting Banff from the United States with his cousin and friend, drowned on 1 May after jumping into Johnston Creek near the Lower Falls at Johnston Canyon and not resurfacing. His body was reported to RCMP and Parks Canada at midday on 26 May, discovered downstream of the falls’ lower pool. The Johnston Canyon Trail was closed to the public during the recovery operation before reopening, and Shemchuk’s remains were transferred to the RCMP.
According to his girlfriend Nicolette Babbe, who spoke to the Rocky Mountain Outlook, Shemchuk had already jumped from the cliffs once and surfaced safely before climbing to a higher point and jumping again. It was after this second, higher plunge that he did not reappear.
RCMP said they received a call at around 6.40pm on 1 May from someone reporting that a man had jumped into the rapids at Johnston Canyon but had not resurfaced. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police closed the area and launched a multi-day search from 1 May through to 4 May before the effort was suspended — officials citing dangerous conditions in the frigid, fast-moving glacial water.
Shemchuk’s family refused to accept the outcome and called for the search to resume. When authorities continued to deem conditions too dangerous, they took matters into their own hands, hiring a private recovery diver named Juan Heredia from California. Parks Canada closed Johnston Canyon overnight on 20 May to allow the private search to proceed, but Heredia was also unable to locate the young man.
Shemchuk was a native of Ukraine who had moved to the United States around a decade ago. His aunt Olha Dishchuk told the Rocky Mountain Outlook that despite limited English when he arrived, he graduated high school with strong grades in Philadelphia and had gone on to study in Arizona, where he was working towards a doctorate in physical therapy.
The family launched a GoFundMe page to cover body recovery costs, funeral expenses and other financial obligations. “We are heartbroken to share the tragic loss of our dear Pasha,” the family wrote. “Pasha was deeply loved by everyone who knew him. He was kind, genuine, and brought light and laughter to the people around him.” The page had raised around $27,000 of a $35,000 goal by Wednesday afternoon, according to the Daily Mail.
“Parks Canada extends its sincere condolences to the individual’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” the national parks operator said in a statement.
Johnston Canyon is one of the most visited trails in Banff National Park, located approximately 30 minutes west of the town of Banff. The canyon’s waterfalls attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, but the glacial meltwater that feeds Johnston Creek runs extremely cold and fast — particularly in late spring and early summer when snowmelt is at its peak — creating hazardous conditions for anyone who enters the water.
