(LR) Geo Paily, 32, Kevin Sha Varghese, 21, and Liyo Mavalil Yohannan, 41, died after a boat overturned on Spray Lakes Reservoir near Canmore. The boat capsized on July 10, 2022. Malayalee Cultural Association Calgary Facebook

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A Calgary church is mourning the deaths of three parishioners after a boat capsized near Canmore on Sunday, killing three of the four on board.

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The men were in the boat at Spray Lakes Reservoir, about 25 kilometers south of Canmore, when it capsized around 10 a.m. Sunday, according to RCMP. Geo Paily, 32, Kevin Sha Varghese, 21, and Liyo Mavalil Yohannan, 41, all died in the incident, while a fourth man, Jijo Joseph, managed to swim safely to shore. RCMP confirmed Wednesday morning that a third body — Yohannan’s — was pulled from the water late Tuesday afternoon, after the bodies of Paily and Varghese were found on Sunday and Monday, respectively. The identities of the victims were confirmed by various cultural groups across Canada, including the Malayalee Cultural Association of Calgary, a community group for people from the Indian state of Kerala, and the Catholic Church of St. Mother Teresa Syro Malabar.

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The four men were close friends who worked together at a local auto shop and were on a fishing trip at the time of the incident, according to St. Mother Teresa priest Father Thomas Kalariparambil. He said the group often went fishing on Paily’s boat in the Canmore area and the four men were active members of the church and the Malayalee community in Calgary. “We were saddened to hear this news,” Kalariparabil said. “We were all shocked when we heard about this incident. it’s a very unexpected thing.” The priest said Varghese’s family immigrated to Canada several years ago and he mostly grew up in Canada with his brother and sister. Varghese attended university in Toronto, but returned to Calgary to visit family in the summer.

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Paley came to Canada about three years ago, Kalariparabil said. He leaves behind a wife and a small child. The cultural club and church have set up a GoFundMe campaign to support Yohannan’s family. He leaves behind his wife, a young daughter and son, his parents and sisters. The fundraiser describes Yohannan as the sole breadwinner for a family of 10. “Liyo was the most kind-hearted, helpful, thoughtful and loving person we have ever met,” the fundraiser’s website says. “He spent most of his time with his family and friends, encouraging them to live an active lifestyle. His smile and voice resonate everywhere he sets foot.” Yohannan moved to Canada from Qatar in 2020, initially settling in Quebec before moving to Red Deer where he worked as a healthcare assistant. He then moved to Calgary where he lived for the past two months.

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“The funds raised here are solely intended to ease the financial burden of his funeral expenses, his family’s emigration from Canada to India, medical expenses of his elderly parents, education for his children and support for his wife” , the website says. Joseph is recovering at home from the trauma of the fatal accident, Kalariparabil said. “We can’t absolutely say he’s fine now, but he’s fine,” he said. Kalariparabil said the church is working to send the bodies of Johanan and Paley back to their families in India after their autopsies are completed. A funeral is planned for Varghese on Saturday. [email protected] Twitter: @michaelrdrguez

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