Friends searched desperately for Amber Manthorne around Great Central Lake Friday — scouring logging roads, trails, and lakes for the Port Alberni woman, who suddenly vanished on July 7 and has now been missing for eight days.
“We are not giving up. We’re not leaving you,” said Kristie St. Claire a longtime friend of Amber Manthorne and the search organizer.
“We are just in such a horrible place right now,” adds friend Darah Pointon.
Pointon has known 40-year-old Manthorne since they were teenagers and described her as a person who would light up a room and made lasting friends, even with ex-boyfriends. So she is struggling with how to explain this to her 8-year-old daughter.
“It’s pretty much like losing family,” said Pointon’s daughter Taylor.
“She was like a sister. One of her nicknames was ‘Chip’ because she always liked to chip people up. She was always out to make people happy,” said friend and searcher Pat Curran.
Manthorne’s Jeep was found July 8 south of Nanaimo, and a search was launched of the area. RCMP revealed she may have been in the company of a man when she went missing, and he was later identified as Justin Hall, who Manthorne had been dating for close to a year.
Though they had recently broken up Manthorne told a friend she was going to see him on the night of July 7.
Wednesday CHEK News received a message from Justin Hall stating that he didn’t hurt Manthorne and has no idea why she hasn’t returned.
‘I did not hurt my girlfriend. I do not know why she isn’t back home. After our argument, I panicked, and I just wanted to get away from everyone,” he wrote.
St. Claire said everyone needs to remain positive.
“We have to keep staying positive while we’re realistic about the circumstances with what we’re facing like the possibility, probability that it will be a recovery,” said St. Claire.
A grid search is being planned around Great Central Lake on Saturday. Friends are inviting anyone with local knowledge, including divers, people with dogs, drones and those on horseback to join them at the Tseshaht market at 10 a.m. and head out on areas that have not yet been covered.
“Looking under bridges, and near waterways. Anywhere and everywhere that they can think of,” said St. Claire.
The RCMP’s Island District Major Crimes Unit is investigating, and searchers hope their efforts will help.
Skye Ryan
