Friends of the missing man on the beach at Overlander Park on July 7, 2025. (Image Credit: Kent Simmonds/CFJC Today)

By Victor Kaisar

Swiftwater Rescue

UPDATE: Search underway after TRU international student swept away in Thompson River Sunday

Jul 7, 2025 | 6:38 AM

KAMLOOPS — (UPDATE 12:20 p.m.): Kamloops Search and Rescue (KSAR) crews are scouring the Thompson River for a Thompson Rivers University student who was swept away by the current around 5:00 p.m. Sunday (July 6) evening.

KSAR President Paula Davies said the man they’re looking for was part of a group of students who were playing volleyball on the beach at Overlander Park. She said he appeared to have been swept away after he tried to retrieve a ball from the water.

“We’re searching from where the person was last seen probably all the way to the airport,” Davies told CFJC Today. “We’re focusing a little more higher upstream down to where they went in to the Overlanders Bridge or just a little bit beyond the bridge.”

In a statement, Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Dana Napier said police and paramedics were called to assist with a possible drowning around 5:14 p.m. Sunday evening. She said the victim appeared to have gotten caught in the undercurrent after he went in to retrieve the volleyball.

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“Two more men from the group who entered the water to assist were also caught in the current,” Napier said. “Two of the initial three were saved while the third appeared to be pulled away and went under the water.”

Kamloops Search and Rescue has set up its incident command at Overlander Park, near the confluence of the North and South Thompson rivers. While they initially deployed around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, the search was called off overnight. It resumed around 6:00 a.m. Monday.

In addition to the 12 KSAR personnel on scene today, there are three members from Vernon Search and Rescue with a power boat and device called an AquaEye – a sonar device. A drone operator from Hummingbird Drones is also on scene.

Napier said the RCMP Air Services team is also assisting with this search. She added investigators are working with the RCMP’s Foreign Domestic Liaison Unit to contact the man’s family, adding his name is not being released at this time to protect his privacy.

Davies is asking people to give search and crews room to work, and to also be careful around the fast flowing river.

“We just want to remind everyone that they should never underestimate the power of this river because every summer it seems this time of year we have a tragedy where someone does drown,” Davies added.

Police are asking people to be on the lookout along the shorelines of the Thompson River and to contact the Kamloops RCMP Detachment at 250-828-3000 and reference file number 2025-21574 if they see anything.

– With files from Dylana Kneeshaw/CFJC Today

This is a developing story, and more information will be provided once it’s available.