(CARLI BERRY / iNFOnews.ca)

Search and Rescue crews and the RCMP are suspending their search for a missing Alberta man who was swept away in the Kootenay River this week while trying to rescue his dog.

On July 30, 2020 shortly before 3:30 p.m. (MT), Columbia Valley RCMP received information that a man had been swept down river after he entered the water to try and rescue his dog. The man was staying with his family near the Canal Flats area when the incident occurred.

"The victim was reportedly walking around a sand bar in the river, when his dog became caught up in the rivers current when it attempted to swim over to him," said Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, spokesperson for the BC RCMP Southeast District, in a RCMP news release. "The victim tried to reach his dog when he suddenly lost his footing, fell into the water and failed to resurface. The family’s dog survived and managed to swim back to shore."

Police officers and search and rescue crews launched a search in the water and an aerial search was conducted as well, according to the news release. An underwater recovery team also searched the area Friday morning.

"All possible efforts to safely locate and rescue the 43-year-old Edmonton man, have been exhausted. The difficult decision to suspend the search has been made in consultation with search and rescue experts, swift water rescue technicians and RCMP divers. Officials will continue to monitor the river level and conduct periodic shoreline searches and aerial searches as conditions permit," O’Donaghey said in the news release.

The search involved 20 swift water SAR technicians, three jet boats, a police dog team, a SAR dog team, an unmanned aerial vehicle, underwater rovers and cameras, a helicopter and the RCMP’s dive team. Local residents continued to drop off food and water for searchers, which was greatly appreciated, said Sgt. Darren Kakuno, Detachment Commander of the Columbia Valley RCMP, in the press release.

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