Officials at a prison near Vancouver are investigating the death of an inmate.

Correctional Service Canada says 39-year-old Troy Squires was found unresponsive in his cell at the Mission Institution on Friday.

A news release says emergency services were called to the prison, but were unable to revive Squires.

The correctional service will review what happened and has also notified police and the coroner, which the agency does for all in-custody deaths.

Squires had started an indeterminate sentence in January 2006 for forcible confinement, sexual assault, uttering threats, assault with weapon and choking.

Mission Institution is a medium-security prison housing more than 250 inmates about 80 kilometres east of Vancouver.