A 17-year-old international student from China died hours after being found unconscious in Alice Lake on Saturday afternoon.

The boy was on a day trip to Alice Lake Provincial Park, located near Squamish, B.C., with his North Vancouver boarding school.

Mounties say he went into the water with a friend, but had difficulty swimming. He was seen shortly after floating unconscious and was pulled from the lake.

First aid was administered for 20 to 30 minutes before an air ambulance arrived. One witness says a language barrier may have impeded the rescue.

"His friends were trying to get people, the initial help, but nobody could understand," he said.

The boy was transported to hospital, where he died shortly after midnight. His mother, who was visiting Canada on a holiday, was with him.

The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating.