Comox Valley man found dead after calling friend to say his car had broken down

There was a tragic end to the search for a missing man on Vancouver Island.

Wayne Jardine, 76, contacted a family member on Monday night saying that his vehicle had broken down and that he was walking in the area of Cumberland and Royston roads in Courtenay.

RCMP said it was actually Sunday when he became lost and started walking.

The friend told police that Jardine sounded disoriented and RCMP believed he required medical attention.

1:08 Search continues for missing 76-year-old man near Courtenay, B.C.

Comox Valley Search and Rescue crews began looking for the Jardine last night.

“Our team is out, we’ve been using a number of vehicles and driving a number of the roads, mainly to the south side of Courtenay, towards Parksville-Qualicum area and Fanny Bay, Cook Creek, Rosewall Creek area,” Scott Larson with Comox Valley Search and Rescue told Global News.

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“The last phone call was at a cell tower down in Rosewall Creek area.”

Jardine’s daughter posted late on Tuesday that her dad had been found deceased.