Update Thursday, 1 p.m.
Crews failed to turn up any sign of a missing Salmo man by Thursday afternoon, despite hours of searching by ground and air.
Cory McKay, 58, was last seen at the Castlegar Shell on June 18, but police say he was not reported missing until July 3.
“Nothing has been found yet,” Mike Hudson, South Columbia SAR president, confirmed Thursday afternoon.
South Columbia Search and Rescue (SAR) led the day-long operation of 21 members sweeping Highway 3 between the Paulson Bridge and Christina Lake by foot, quad, UTV and helicopter.
As well, six members fielded the command base which was set up on Park Road, at Christina Lake.
If no trace of McKay turns up, Hudson said search efforts will be suspended indefinitely.
“I do not believe we will be searching past today,” he told the Times. “We are operating on the last tips in to the RCMP, and won’t know more until tonight (July 11).”
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South Columbia Search and Rescue (SAR) is advising the public that crews will be visible on ground and in the skyline on Thursday as they search for Cory McKay, a missing Salmo man.
Previous: Update on missing Salmo man
“Due to the size of our search operation tomorrow (Thursday), it’s going to be hard not to see us,” Mike Hudson, South Columbia SAR president, said in a July 10 advisory.
His unit will be initiating the search on Highway 3 between the Paulson Bridge and Christina Lake beginning at 7 a.m., with the command centre set up on Park Road, at Christina Lake.
“We will have aircraft, both fixed wing and helicopter, as well as several SAR teams from our area attending to do a large search,” Hudson explained.
“We are continuing on with the search for Cory McKay who was reported missing on July 3, but was last seen June 18.”
This particular search area was identifed “of interest” based on tips to the police.
“We would like to ask the public’s assistance to please drive carefully through this highway section,” Hudson stressed. “And watch for Search and Rescue volunteers, who will be driving vehicles, quads and UTV’s.”
He asks the public to be on the lookout for McKay’s 1994 Black Triumph motorcycle, plate Y62100.
Hudson also reported on a search the team assisted with in Trail on Tuesday evening.
“South Columbia, with the assistance of Rossland SAR, were called out last night (July 9) … for a patient that left the Daly Pavilion at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital.”
The woman was seen climbing the rock bluffs behind the facility.
“RCMP called for assistance to help rescue the subject off the mountain side,” Hudson said. “SAR crews arrived very quickly and were able to respond. With the assistance of RCMP she was brought down and out of harms way.”
South Columbia has been part of six tasks in the past four weeks, three within the last five days.
“We remind people to be safe, be prepared, and check conditions before venturing out,” said Hudson.
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