Mounties stop search of Harrison Lake for two missing swimmers

After two days and exhausting all efforts, the RCMP has stopped their search of Harrison Lake for two male swimmers reported missing earlier this week.

Police received a distress call from a man drifting with five other passengers in a dingy on Harrison Lake on June 8 at about 2:15 p.m. The man called the Mounties a second time saying the group had paddled safely to shore and the Kent Harrison SAR crew located and returned the boaters to their rental unit.

Later that day at about 5:45 p.m., the police got a second call reporting two men, aged 23 and 25 from Vancouver, were missing. According to witnesses, the pair left the drifting dingy to swim to the shore but did not return to the rental unit.

RCMP along with Kent Harrison SAR teams began searching the lake’s shoreline. The next day a privately owned helicopter joined the search for the missing men.

Although police are suspending their search, Kent Harrison SAR will be continuing with a sonar search of the lake bed.

“Outdoor tragedies are becoming far too common place this summer.  RCMP would like to remind visitors to our area to be aware of their limitations and the environment while enjoying activities in our region.” said Cpl. Mike Rail in a release.