The search continued this week for a woman who disappeared after driving her vehicle into the North Thompson River.
Kamloops Search and Rescue (KSAR) had 15 members on the river on Wednesday, with a pair of Vernon Search and Rescue (VSAR) members providing assistance in their boat.
According to a KSAR debrief, search operations included “multiple river runs” from the point last seen, near Schubert Drive and Birch Avenue, downstream to the midpoint of Kamloops Lake.
“Teams thoroughly searched the river and shoreline using ground teams, inflatable kayaks, jet boats, drones and a KSAR search dog team,” the debrief explained.
“Swimmers were also deployed in the water to help assess current movement and its influence on drift patterns as part of the operational assessment.”
Both KSAR and RCMP drone teams conducted aerial searches of the river over the past two days.
Despite it all, the woman, who has since been identified online as 24-year-old Benina Jepkoech, remains missing and is presumed to have drowned.
Jepkoech’s vehicle crashed into the fast-flowing river near Schubert Drive and Birch Avenue around 6:21 pm on Sunday, May 17.
A 21-year-old female passenger was rescued by three bystanders who jumped into the river to help, but witnesses lost sight of Jepkoech as the vehicle was swept downriver and became submerged.
KSAR confirmed today that the vehicle has also not been recovered.
