Police have recovered one body in the Findlay Creek area that they believe is one of the two presumed drowned missing men. The body located by the Police Dog Service has been turned over the BC Coroner’s Service for identification.

A search began June 9 when 21-year-old Stephen Thomson of Canal Flats and 18-year-old Nicholas Hoefnagels of Carstairs, Alberta were declared missing while camping at Whitetail Lake. A search of the area located a spot where a vehicle went off the road and into Findlay Creek. Since then police and Search and Rescue teams have been searching the area as conditions permit. On June 24 the truck was located near Findlay Creek Falls and removed from the water but neither person was inside.

High water levels hampered search efforts but a Police Dog Team located the body in a heavily wooded area approximately 10 km downstream on July 4. The water had risen considerably since the disappearance, the water receded and the body was located on the shore ine in amongst logs and other debris.

The BC Coroners Service is working to identify the body. Search efforts using a Police Dog and RCMP helicopter are currently being conducted in order to locate the second body.

Findlay Creek flows into the Kootenay River, south of Canal Flats and police are asking recreational uses of the rivers to contact police if they see anything.

Cpl. Chris Newel,

Kimberley RCMP

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