Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park has reopened amid a search for a 19-year-old man who is presumed to have died by falling into the river near the Othello Tunnels last week.
The Hope RCMP received reports of the man’s falling around 6 p.m. on July 26.
A search, including Mounties, fire crews, paramedics, and search and rescue (SAR) began.
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“SAR deployed a raft and successfully rescued a bystander who became stranded while trying to locate the man that fell,” police added.
Despite efforts, including a drone search, the team was unable to find the young man.
The RCMP said officers believe his body is trapped beneath the surface due to the heavy current.
In an update Friday, Mounties say the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team (URT) conducted searches in the river on Wednesday but could not find the man.
On Thursday, Hope SAR continued a search of the shoreline and drone searches of the river.
“Despite these efforts, the individual remains missing.”
Police say the search will continue Saturday, but the provincial park has reopened in the meantime.
Public access will be restricted in certain areas during the search.
“The pools of water where the man was last seen were thoroughly searched in hopes of locating him and providing a level of closure to his family,” said Staff Sgt. Mike Sargent, Hope RCMP. “While he has not yet been found, search efforts remain active and ongoing.”
The temporary closure came just one month after the park reopened to the public, following a year-long closure for repairs due to damage from the 2021 atmospheric river event.
—With files from Jan Schuermann
