Although the land and air search for the Australian woman who went missing in the wilderness near Agassiz, B.C. three weeks ago was recently called off, police are still asking for tips.
Sophie Dowsley, 34, and her boyfriend Gregory Tiffin were last spotted in Harrison Hot Springs in the Fraser Valley on July 8. Tiffin’s body was recovered 10 days later.
“A thorough ground and air search of the region has been conducted for Sophie. Although the initial land and air search is suspended our missing person investigation remains open,” said Cpl. Mike Rail, spokesperson for the UFVRD in a release on July 24.
“RCMP remain in close contact with her family.”
Dowsley’s brother Jamie wrote a Facebook post on July 23 claiming the search had been called off. However, police said on July 23 the search continued, but the next day confirmed it had now been suspended.
Jamie added that some of his sister’s personal items were found below a waterfall.
READ MORE: Body of missing Vancouver man found near Statlu Lake: RCMP
Search crews found personal items in the fast-moving water beneath a waterfall near Statlu lake. Neil Brewer with Kent Harrison Search and Rescue warned the public that the area Dowsley and her partner Tiffin vanished in, is treacherous.
The warning came after a $10,000 reward for tips that led to the safe return of Dowsley was offered by former BC Hydro CEO Jessica McDonald.
Brewer explained that the area is out of cell phone range, and includes a 200-foot deep canyon full of rushing water that is only accessible to people with swift water and rope rescue experience.
“Once you slip, you’re in the falls, and basically you’re gone,” he said.
He went on to say he knows the water search will continue when nature allows but also understands that his sister may never be found.
On July 28, RCMP missing persons investigators renewed their call for anyone hiking in the Statlu Lake region on July 8 and may have seen Dowsley, noticed hiking equipment or personal articles left along the trail to contact the Agassiz detachment.
~ with files from Rahul Kalvapalle, Liza Yuzda, Simon Little and Jon Hall, CKNW
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