3rd person confirmed dead in atmospheric river waters

Police have confirmed another death on Vancouver Island after record-breaking rainfall during the region’s first atmospheric river of the season washed out roads, flooded homes, and caused mudslides over the weekend.

Around 5:45 p.m. Saturday, Mounties received a report of a missing person who was expected to have arrived in Victoria after leaving Bamfield.

“RCMP were able to ping the cell phones belonging to the missing, which returned that one of the phones last connected with a cell tower within a 3km radius of the 58km mark on Bamfield Rd. A helicopter was deployed to the area to conduct an aerial search, and Alberni Valley Search and Rescue were requested to assist in the search,” Port Alberni RCMP said Monday.

That night, the family told police they had found the missing person’s truck fully submerged in the Sarita River. 

Police say due to the fast-flowing water and low light, emergency services were unable to confirm if the truck was still occupied, but the missing driver was found dead a short distance away.

An hour after the first, another person was reported missing after not arriving in Bamfield from Port Alberni.

That person’s vehicle was found in the Sarita River, and police said search and rescue were hoping to conduct a swift water recovery as soon as possible.

In an update Tuesday, the Port Alberni RCMP confirmed that the second missing person had died inside their vehicle.

“Due to the remaining high water levels and swift water currents, they could not be safely accessed,” Mounties said.

“[Tuesday], RCMP are liaising with Alberni Search and Rescue Squad to coordinate recovery of the missing person’s remains and the vehicles from Sarita River in anticipation of lowered water levels.”

The missing person’s dog was located near the river by good Samaritans, who then contacted the family. 

Police say the families of both victims have been notified of their deaths.

Meanwhile, a mudslide that swept away a Coquitlam home amid the downpour of the atmospheric river Saturday also claimed the life of the resident, a 57-year-old elementary school teacher named Sonya McIntyre.

A 59-year-old man, Robert Belding, is still missing after disappearing near the Coquitlam River Saturday.