The family of a missing kayaker who was last seen on Thursday before heading out on a fishing trip is continuing the search at Cowichan Lake.
Seventy-year-old Colin Court was last seen on Thursday. He had celebrated his birthday with his family and told them he was excited to go out fly fishing in the Cowichan Lake area, according to Cowichan Search and Rescue (SAR).
Lake Cowichan RCMP said over the weekend that a driver had found the North Cowichan man’s truck parked at the Little Shaw campground on Cowichan Lake on Saturday, 15 kilometres west of Youbou, and reported it as suspicious. Colin had not returned from his fishing trip and his kayak was found overturned ashore near Little Shaw Creek.
Cowichan SAR said on Monday they were told to stand down until further notice.
On Tuesday, Colin’s son, Bill Court, and Colin’s daughter, Melissa Court, said family members, friends and other parties are out on boats with depth sounders and flying drones to survey the area on the lake as they continue the search for Colin.
Bill and Melissa also said the RCMP diving team has searched the water but very poor conditions and extreme drop-offs that go deep into the lake make it hard to locate Colin at this time.
“Today the RCMP units are reviewing the situation to see what the next step should be, as for example, possibly bringing in an ROV [remotely operated underwater vehicle] unit to assist in the search,” Bill and Melissa said in a statement.
“This is been very hard on every one of not knowing where he could be in the water and the time of year for weather and water temperature has been a major contribution to the hard find of locating him.”
The two are thanking the community, Ladysmith and Cowichan SAR and RCMP for all their efforts.
“As a family, we have been offered donations but we would like to have the money donated to Search and Rescue to assist them with their funding to keep them going for their ongoing selfless support for people in need,” Bill and Melissa said.
Also thank you to Country Grocer for sending food up to the Little Shaw Creek for everyone. The Lake Cowichan RCMP and RCMP dive unit have been very compassionate and trying very hard to locate my dad Colin Court. Again from the family we very much appreciate the support we have been receiving and many thanks to everyone with their selfless actions on the search for him.”
The family is asking anyone who saw Colin out fishing on his blue kayak on Friday Nov. 15 to call Lake Cowichan RCMP at 250-749-6668.
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