Search efforts paused for missing Riverside Park swimmer presumed drowned

“Kamloops Fire Rescue attended and searched the river while Kamloops RCMP frontline police searched the shoreline,” Napier said.

Those efforts turned up nothing, and Kamloops Search and Rescue (KSAR) began its search on Saturday.

“We were initially called Friday but in discussions, we figured we’d wait until the morning for daylight to have our teams come out,” KSAR search manager Alan Hobler told CFJC Today.

“We have a boat on the team with side-scan sonar, so we used that boat for a lot of searching. We had a lot of kayak teams and ground teams out searching as well but all that effort didn’t turn anything out.”

Hobler said the RCMP’s underwater dive team was also brought in to search “high probability locations” in the river on Saturday, but he noted it was also unsuccessful. Napier added the Mounties also used a drone as part of their search efforts.

“I know there was a rumour that there was two additional drownings that Friday night,” Hobler added. “I asked the RCMP and they confirmed that that was not the case. There was a report, they investigated it and concluded that that did not happen. We are only searching for one person.”

Kamloops Search and Rescue has officially been stood down for now, and Napier noted the RCMP will continue coordinated search efforts with its partners. Hobler said KSAR plans to resume searching in about a week’s time.

“There are other missing people in this river, so occasionally we will go out and search again,” Hobler added. “We’ll search the steam banks and go downstream and search in the lake, as well.”

While there is no information about the person who is presumed to have drowned Friday, the incident coincided with National Drowning Prevention Week. Local and provincial officials have been urging vigilance around the water in recent weeks following a spike in drowning deaths this year.

“There is one thing you can do and it’s wear a PFD or a life jacket,” Hobler said. “I have seen dozens and dozens and dozens of deceased people – most of them have been drownings and I’ve yet to see one wearing a lifejacket.

“Each and every one is tragic and I would encourage everyone to keep a PFD handy. It doesn’t hurt to have it on.”

Anyone who may have interacted with the missing swimmer on the shore or witnessed him going into the water is asked to contact Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 and reference file number 2026-24183.

by Victor Kaisar

Search efforts paused for missing Riverside Park swimmer presumed drowned

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