Pilot Dominic Neron, 28, and his girlfriend Ashley Bourgeault, 31, have been missing for three months now, but Bourgeault’s family isn’t giving up until they find the couple.
In late November, the pair flew to Penticton to visit family and do some Christmas shopping. Their plane disappeared near Revelstoke on the way home.
“It’s been really tough on everyone,” Ashley’s brother, Richard Bourgeault, told Global News on Monday.
“It’s definitely not something anyone should go through.”
READ MORE: Search for missing plane near Revelstoke suspended
Richard Bourgeault was one of many family members and friends that has searched for the missing plane near Revelstoke.
Both families have handed out fliers and spoken to locals, hoping for any information. They’ve rented helicopters and snowmobiles as well to search the area.
Ashley’s brother even tried to head out on foot.
“The snow is deep. You walk out there and you’re just stuck in the snow,” he said.
“The bushes are thick. You can’t even walk past them, so it’s really hard to search on foot out there.”
Bourgeault’s family is also working with a drone company in the area that has new technology that can detect wreckage.
READ MORE: Family believes drone photo could show possible wreckage of missing Revelstoke plane
“They can detect the skeleton of the plane from all over the place,” said Ashley’s sister-in-law, Nicole Fraser.
The family has received three tips they would like to look into.
They’ve narrowed down an area that is 10 kilometres by one kilometre on the ridge of Griffin Mountain. They said someone saw the plane near Mable Lake east of Enderby and there were reports of two spot fires in that area. The region can’t be accessed by foot or vehicle, only helicopter or drone.
The family has run out of money to fund the search.
“Our search efforts are put on hold right now,”Fraser said. “Everything’s up to the family to pay for right now.”
The family has set up a GoFundMe page and will be hosting a fundraiser on March 17 at Sportsman’s Pub in hopes of getting the search up and running again.
“The longer that things remain dormant the less chance we have of finding them,” Fraser said.
Bourgeault’s loved ones said they won’t give up hope until the couple is found.
“We aren’t going to give up until we get them home one way or the other,” Richard Bourgealut said. “I’d love to see them again.”
Watch: The Joint Rescue Coordination held a news conference in Esquimalt on Monday afternoon to outline the search efforts for a single engine plane that is missing in B.C. with two people on board.
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