A 19-year-old man is presumed dead after falling into the Coquihalla River near the Othello Tunnels on Saturday, police say.
The Hope RCMP says they believe his body is trapped beneath the surface due to the heavy current.
According to police, the local Search and Rescue, the District of Hope Fire Department, and the RCMP Integrated Police Dog Services initiated a search later on the same day.
During their collaborative efforts, the first responders rescued a bystander who became stranded while attempting to locate the man who fell into the river.
They continued to search the area using a remotely piloted aircraft system.
Despite their efforts, they could not locate the man over the weekend.
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In a statement, the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team (URT) says that their recovery efforts have been postponed to a later date due to the challenging conditions of steep terrain and fast-flowing water.
As a result of the incident, BC Parks has shut down Othello Tunnels in the Coquihalla Canyon Park until further notice.
This closure comes 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.
