Salmo RCMP say they’re suspending the search for Cory McKay for now after dozens of searchers came up with nothing Thursday in the hunt for a missing motorcyclist from Salmo.
RCMP, Search and Rescue crews, and volunteers spent most of July 11 looking for McKay from Cottonwood Lake near Nelson, to the Bombi Pass and Blueberry-Paulson Pass, from Nancy Greene Provincial Park to the Grand Forks area.
Seventy people have spent 2,100 hours participating in the search by foot, by ATV and other vehicles, and from the air.
Police say 1,100 square kilometers of area were checked, and 30 km of shoreline that day.
But in the end, the search turned up nothing, and police called the exercise off at about 11 p.m.
“The RCMP and the family of Cory McKay wish to thank all of the search and rescue volunteers who took time out of their busy schedules to try to find Cory,” said an RCMP news release. “Many volunteers adjusted their work shift schedules and also worked their regular jobs after searching for hours.
“It is a testament to the community spirit in the Kootenays that so much earnest and sincere effort is consistently made by these Search and Rescue volunteers to search for people they have never known or met.”
While the search is over for now, police say the investigation continues, and are looking for any information about McKay’s whereabouts.
McKay, 58, was last seen at the Castlegar Shell on June 18, but police say he was not reported missing until July 3.
He was known to be driving a black 1994 Triumph motorcycle, BC licence plate Y61200, at the time of his disappearance.
He is described as a Caucasian male, five-foot-seven, 165 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of McKay is urged to contact their local police, or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
