Search and rescue crews believe two of the three men that went missing near Sooke have been found dead.
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue confirmed two bodies have been found. No further details have been released.
The three went missing Friday. Their truck was found by rescue crews Sunday in the 3000-block Sooke River Road near the Sooke Potholes Provincial Park.
It was spotted by a helicopter Sunday but was empty.
A Facebook group set up by members of the public helping say they have been asked to stand down, to allow professional searchers to take the lead.
A.J. Jensen, and his two friends Eric Blackmore and Cory Mills have been missing since Friday night.
Blackmore’s father, William McInnes, said the three were playing video games at his house just before they disappeared.
“I heard the door close at about 11:00 at night and they weren’t there anymore,” said McInnes. “I didn’t know that they left. The front door was unlocked, it was out of the ordinary. It was really raining, really hard.”
On Saturday morning, the young men were nowhere to be seen.
“I had a weird feeling as soon as I woke up,” said Carole Rittaler, Jenson’s stepmother. “I just thought it was odd his bedroom door was open. He wasn’t home, he’s always home, he’s just always home.”
The three families got together and began the search, checking every 4×4 spot they knew the young men liked.
“It’s really hard for us, really hard,” said McInnes. “We just want our boys back.”
By night, Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue (SAR) was involved.
“We’ve got ATVs and four wheel drive vehicles and search and rescue teams just scouring all of the accessible logging roads,” said Victoria Weber, senior search and rescue manager of Juan de Fuca SAR, early Sunday morning.
“We are covering a huge area, we are covering everywhere from Sooke, to Port Renfrew and up to Cowichan Lake.”
Hundreds of community members came out to join the search on Sunday, starting as early as 6 a.m.
“Sooke is a powerful town when it comes to community,” said McInnes. “We put up a Facebook post… a thousand people were involved right away and shares all over the place and I’m just so lucky to be a part of the community.”
They say the three men have not made contact with anyone since Friday night, and were likely off-road near Sooke in a blue Dodge Dakota with the license plate NY9677.
The three men are suspected to be in a blue Dodge Dakota with the license plate NY9677.(Facebook)
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue say anyone with information on their whereabouts should call Sooke RCMP or 911.
More to come
Jasmine Bala
