Police have officially suspended the search for a Calgary man who went missing in Shuswap Lake in August.
Last week, Sicamous Sgt. Dave Dubnyk announced the RCMP have called off the search and recovery effort for 25-year-old Kevin Boutilier.
He says the search spanned two months and involved three search and rescue groups and members from three RCMP detachments.
“The search and recovery efforts have included searching water and shorelines, with RCMP helicopters, and side scanning sonar equipment,” said Dubnyk. “SAR and RCMP search teams completed several days of searches in the area; however, in spite of tireless efforts by all search parties, Mr. Boutilier’s body has not been recovered.
“Police continue to work with the Boutilier family through this difficult time.”
Boutilier was last seen on Saturday, Aug. 14. At 4:15 p.m., the Sicamous detachment received a report of a possible drowning in Cinnemousun Narrows. Police learned that a group of people were on a rented houseboat when a hat blew off one of the occupant’s heads and into the water.
Some of the people onboard dove in to retrieve the hat. At the time, the weather was turning stormy with rough water.
Boutilier was last seen in distress, going under the surface several times before failing to resurface.
The other people in the water made it back to the boat.
Boutilier was wearing a pair of red shorts.
Dubnyk says he is currently classified as a missing person and presumed drowned.
