Police still looking for Ahousaht man last seen on Bartlett Island

Police still looking for Ahousaht man last seen on Bartlett Island
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Travis Thomas, 40, went missing on Aug. 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Ahousaht RCMP.

Travis Thomas, 40, went missing on Aug. 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Ahousaht RCMP.

The search for a missing 40-year-old Ahousaht man is continuing three weeks after he was last seen on Bartlett Island.

Travis Damon Thomas was reported missing to RCMP on Aug. 9. He was last seen on Aug. 7 and his family was unable to locate him on Barlett Island.

After being notified about Thomas’ disappearance, RCMP, as well as Ahousaht and Tofino search and rescue teams, searched the island. The Canadian Coast Guard and RCMP Air Services also conducted a search around the island.

Subsequent searches by the RCMP Police Dog Service and a search and rescue dog were completed. A search manager from the Comox Valley Search and Rescue also reviewed the Ahousaht RCMP’s detachment’s search efforts.

“We are very concerned about the safety of Travis Thomas and are doing everything we can to locate him”, Sgt. Todd Pebernat of the Ahousaht RCMP said in a statement. “Our search is unfortunately very difficult given the island’s extremely dense forest and brush area. It has made it difficult for ground searchers to probe thoroughly into these regions of the island”.

Police are still investigating the circumstances of Thomas’ disappearance and family is being regularly updated. At this time, they have no information to suggest Thomas left the island but they will consider the possibility that he may no longer be there.

Police are following up on reported sightings. Thomas is described by police as a 40-year-old Indigenous man, 5’11” (180 centimetres), 175 pounds (79 kilograms) with black hair and brown eyes. He has several tattoos on his chest and arm.

Anyone who has any information about Thomas’ whereabouts is asked to contact the Ahousaht RCMP Detachment at 250-670-9612 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Another member of the First Nation community also went missing on July 22 in a nearby area. Richard Amos was reportedly heading toward Catface Mountain, east of Ahousaht (Flores Island) to go fishing. His canoe and a red shoe were found late in the day on July 22 at the Shot Islets. Amos has still not been found.

Alexa HuffmanAlexa Huffman

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