Kamloops Search and Rescue preparing another exploration for missing 24-year-old woman

Davies said KSAR will be focusing on a few higher probability areas where bodies have been known to wash up.

“There’s still the same shoreline but there is less river area to search,” Davies added. “The velocity of the river is about half of what it was back on Aug. 10, when we were last out, and the clarity is about 60 centimetres, so that is improved as well.”

“This is probably one of the lowest times of the river levels to search so we’re going to take that opportunity and do a thorough search again.”

A 21-year-old passenger who was also in the vehicle was rescued by three people who jumped into action. The vehicle – a red Ford Focus sedan – was recovered by an Oregon-based dive team last month, and KSAR is hoping for a positive outcome with this weekend’s search.

“We knew where the vehicle was – and we knew she wasn’t in it – but it’s not our mandate to recover a vehicle. Our goal is to find the missing person, Benina,” Davies said, noting this may be the last search one of this year.

“It’ll be dependent on our conversations with the RCMP and whether or not they do want us to be activated again, but yeah, a lot of times we’re dealing with more rain and colder temperatures at this time of year.”

Kamloops RCMP told CFJC last month that the investigation into the incident is still ongoing, and they’re urging people to report any potential sightings of Jepkoech to police.

by Victor Kaisar

Kamloops Search and Rescue preparing another exploration for missing 24-year-old woman

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