The search continues to find two Lower Mainland men last seen on Stump Lake south of Kamloops.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Merritt RCMP
June 21, 2023 - 11:57 AM
The search continues today to find two Lower Mainland men last seen on Stump Lake along Highway 5A between Merritt and Kamloops.
Merritt RCMP were notified around 12:30 a.m., June 20, that the men were missing on Stump Lake.
"The fishermen had been last seen by friends, fishing late into the evening in a small aluminum boat. When they didn't return after dark, friends began to search for them. After unsuccessful efforts, they called police," RCMP said in a media release.
Kamloops Search and Rescue were at the scene around 4 a.m. to try to find the men, Staff Sgt. Josh Roda of Merritt RCMP told iNFOnews.ca.
An RCMP dive team is expected to arrive at the scene later this week, which will be essential in the search, he said.
"The issue is, to be frank, it's going to be a recovery mission," Roda said. "At this point we believe their boat capsized at night... and they're some where in the water, sadly."
All that's been found so far is "debris," according to the news release. Roda said crews have found oars and cushions from the boat, but the boat itself remains missing too.
"We are not releasing the names of the missing fishermen at this time," Merritt RCMP Staff Sgt. Josh Roda said in the release. "We want to give the families privacy while they try to comprehend what took place."
Merritt RCMP asked the public to contact the detachment if anymore debris is found in the Stump Lake area.
— This story was updated at 12:07 p.m., June 21, 2023, with information from Staff Sgt. Josh Roda.
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