Missing B.C. couple found deceased after ATV rollover, police say

The search for a missing B.C. man and woman has come to a tragic end in the Okanagan backcountry.

RCMP say the Hamakawas, Glen (67) and Eva (56), were found deceased on Sunday morning after an apparent ATV rollover.

“We are very saddened by this loss and offer sincere condolences to their friends and family,” said Staff Sgt. Bob Vatamaniuck.

“The RCMP wishes to thanks the Search and Rescue teams for their tireless and selfless work in locating the couple, as well as the public who offered a lot of support.”

The pair was last seen Friday morning, Oct. 1, when they left their campsite near Summerland on their black Polaris side-by-side ATV.

They were reported missing on Saturday morning, prompting a massive search effort on the ground and by air.

Randy Brown, the search manager with Penticton Search and Rescue, said additional volunteer search and rescue teams were deployed to the scene on Sunday.

“Teams from Princeton, Oliver, Osoyoos and Kelowna assisted. Last night the managers got together and planned again today, put out a request for teams in the region as far away as Merritt, and the command centre is set up again this morning at the Crump Recreation Site and the search has already commenced,” Brown told Global News.

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Brown said the area, situated just off the Princeton-Summerland Road, is popular with campers, hunters and people using their recreational vehicles, but the topography is vast, rugged and steep.

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Brown said the area, situated just off the Princeton-Summerland Road, is popular with campers, hunters and people using their recreational vehicles, but the topography is vast, rugged and steep.Brown said the pair, from Bridal Falls, did not issue a distress signal and no GPS tracking device was available.

He said the pair were experienced campers and ATVers, however, were new to the Crump Recreational Site area.

2:07 Family, friends search for missing Oliver man