A Saskatchewan woman was found in Genoa Bay, about 70 kilometres north of Victoria, on Wednesday morning.A Saskatchewan woman was found in Genoa Bay, about 70 kilometres north of Victoria, on Wednesday morning. (Google)

A Saskatchewan woman is dead after being pulled from the water off Vancouver Island.

People near Genoa Bay, B.C., about 70 kilometres north of Victoria, found the woman about 9 a.m. Wednesday. They pulled her to the shore and did CPR but she could not be revived.

Police said the woman had likely died in the water several hours earlier.

According to the RCMP, the 51-year-old woman had travelled from Saskatchewan in the last week to Genoa Bay to stay with her husband on a float home.

Police told CBC News the death was likely an accident, but could not say for sure.

"In this early stage, without having had a chance to talk to the coroner after their initial investigation, I'm always very reluctant to say that there's no indications of foul play or speak to any of the causal factors," Cpl. Darren Lagan with the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment said on Wednesday.

Lagan said Genoa Bay remains open to the public and is not an active crime scene.

RCMP in the area are continuing their investigation, and an autopsy is expected in the next few days.

Police are not releasing the woman's name until they notify her family.