The search for a missing man in the area of a Westside Road landslide is continuing, and Vernon Search and Rescue (VSAR) has offered its assistance.
The landslide in West 麻豆精选 occurred on April 1. The next day, the RCMP received a report that people experiencing homelessness may have been living at an encampment in the Reid Creek area near the now-closed Lake Okanagan Resort. Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (COSAR) was called to assist with the initial search on April 2.
On April 7 the West 麻豆精选 RCMP opened a missing persons investigation after items were found that were possibly connected to a missing individual, who was confirmed to have been last seen near the landslide. The RCMP did not release the missing man's identity in order to protect his privacy.
COSAR has since been called in to search the area by ground, air and water.
And on Thursday, April 10, VSAR's boat team joined the effort.
COSAR expressed its appreciation to VSAR in a social media post Thursday. It said VSAR's boat team was out early that morning heading to the west side of Okanagan Lake to assist with "operational period 4" in the Reid Creek search.
"Their experience and equipment is a significant asset," COSAR said, adding its own boat team joined them on the water in the afternoon.
The landslide that hit Westside Road has been estimated at 20,000 tonnes, according to COSAR's Ed Henczel, describing the amount of soil, rocks, logs and debris that was dislodged in the slide.
The items believed to belong to the missing man include a hat, a boot, construction tools and a notebook.
The RCMP's dive team searched Okanagan Lake from the shoreline to about 30m out on April 11 but did not find anything of significance, according to Henczel.
COSAR's boat team returned to the water to continue the search Saturday, April 12.
COSAR volunteers have collectively spent more than 1,000 hours searching the slide area.
鈥� With files from Jacqueline Gelineau
