Search efforts are ramping up as emergency responders race against the clock to find a missing B.C. couple who went camping in the Okanagan backcountry.
The Hamakawas, Glen (67) and Eva (56), were last seen Friday morning, Oct. 1, when they left their campsite at the Crump Recreational Site on their black Polaris side-by-side ATV. They haven’t been heard from since.
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Randy Brown, the search manager with Penticton Search and Rescue, said additional volunteer search and rescue teams were being deployed to the scene on Sunday.
“Teams from Princeton, Oliver, Osoyoos and Kelowna assisted. Last night the managers got together and planned again today, put out a request for teams in the region as far away as Merritt, and the command centre is set up again this morning at the Crump Recreation Site and the search has already commenced,” Brown told Global News.
Glen and Eva Hamakawa.
Submitted
Brown said the area is popular with campers, hunters and people using their recreational vehicles, but the topography is vast, rugged and steep.
“This is a significant area with a lot of trails and we are looking at an area with no pre-determined location where they are heading, so it’s looking for 100 square miles trying to cover all of those areas and some of the trails are very steep, the terrain is steep, so we’ve got lots of work to do.”
Brown said the pair, who live in Bridal Falls, did not issue a distress signal, no GPS tracking device is available, and there’s no indication which direction the Hamakawas travelled.
Police say Glen and Eva Hamakawa left their campsite on Friday morning, Oct. 1, in their black Polaris side-by-side ATV.
Penticton Search and Rescue
“There are lots of hunters in the area, so we are hoping that somebody will have a clue or have seen them, and then they can contact the police and we will be able to narrow down the search area,” he said.
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Brown said the urgency of the situation is heightened given the colder temperatures. It’s unknown if the missing couple is prepared to weather the elements.
“When the temperatures fall, that raises the priority. Yesterday, we hit it hard. Everybody recognizes the significance of finding people quickly so teams are out there,” he said.
Glen Hamakawa is described as 5’9″ and 190 lbs, wearing mostly black clothing with blue jeans.
Eva is 5’2″ and 205 lbs, also wearing black riding gear with blue jeans.
Both were wearing black helmets.
“RCMP are very concerned for the Hamakawas as the weather has been inclement and considering the age of the couple, police are worried they may not be prepared for colder temperatures; it is hoped they are found soon,” said Sgt. Bob Vatamaniuck in a statement.
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Anyone who may have seen the couple traveling in the area in the last 36 hours are asked to call the Penticton RCMP non-emergency number at 250-492-4300, or if they know the current and exact whereabouts of the Hamakawas, to call 9-1-1.
Brown said the pair are experienced campers and ATVers, however, they are new to the Crump Recreational Site area and may not be familiar with the terrain.
“They have many many years of going into the backcountry with their side-by-side, however, this is a new area for them to explore,” he said.