RCMP and Search and Rescue units from Kimberley and the Columbia Valley have delayed their search for two missing men – 21-year-old Stephen Thomson of Canal Flats and 18-year-old Nicholas Hoefnagels of Carstairs, Alberta on Sunday, June 16.

The two young men went missing Sunday, June 9 while camping at Whitetail Lake, west of Canal Flats.

Police were called around 2:30 a.m. after they had not been seen since 3 p.m. Saturday.

At 6 a.m. Search and Rescue teams from Kimberley and Columbia Valley along with RCMP began combing the area.

Around noon a spot was located along the Findlay Creek Forest Service Road where a vehicle had left the road, went down a steep embankment and into Findlay Creek. Further checks by a SAR rope team found personal items belonging to the subjects on the bank near the water.

Over the course of the next week searchers located the truck, submerged and on its roof in the fast-flowing creek, upstream from Findlay Falls. However, the two young men have not been located.

“The vehicle was located in the water near the falls, but unable to get to it or ascertain if anybody is in it. The water is moving very quickly which restricts what search efforts can be done safely,” reported Cpl. Chris Newel of the Kimberley RCMP Detachment June 17.

An area resident shared with e-KNOW via Facebook, “There has been an overwhelming amount of people who have donated food, machinery, money etc. to help the families locate the truck. They made a road down to the creek and now have also blasted a new route to divert the water. As I understand this was successful and you can now see the truck tires in the creek although it is on it’s roof. They are going to sand bag off more of the creek so they can have a good attempt to retrieve the truck.”

It is expected that the vehicle will be removed from the creek once the spring thaw is completed. The search continues for the two men.

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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