Coquihalla/Othello Tunnels – AUGUST 3 UPDATE – Hope Volunteer Search and Rescue posted to social media on August 3: It was a busy week for Hope Volunteer Search and Rescue as members were tasked out on multiple days to search for an individual who had fallen into the Coquihalla River. We would like to thank the members of Kent Harrison Search and Rescue, Chilliwack Search and Rescue, Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue Society, Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue,, Valley Helicopters, and #RCMP, who assisted with this task. The search involved skilled swiftwater teams, rope technicians, raft operators, drone operators, underwater camera operators, and divers.
We would like to take the opportunity to remind visitors in this area to respect the power of the Coquihalla River and be safe.
• Please do not climb over barriers or swim in the canyon.
• Even in the low waters of August, there are powerful currents, undercut rocks, holes and strainers below the surface.
• The rocks and boulders in and beside the river have been worn smooth and can be slippery and unsteady.
• The pools before the tunnels look inviting on a hot day, but in as little as 6″ of water, a person can be knocked over and swept away. The river becomes incredibly dangerous just around the corner at the first tunnel.
Our hearts are with the family who lost a brother, son, nephew, grandson and friend. We honor his memory by working to prevent future tragedies like this.
AUGUST 1 UPDATE from Hope RCMP – Hope RCMP is updating the public that Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park area has been re-opened following recent search efforts.
On July 30, The RCMP Underwater Recovery Team (URT) conducted searches in the river where the young man was believed to have entered. Unfortunately, he was not located.
On July 31, Hope Search and Rescue continued efforts with shoreline searches and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UVA) sweeps of the river. Despite these efforts, the individual remains missing.
Search and Rescue will resume search efforts on August 2, and public access will be restricted in specific areas of the park to support these efforts.
The pools of water where the man was last seen were thoroughly searched in hopes of locating him and providing a level of closure to his family,
says, Staff Sergeant Mike Sargent, Hope RCMP. While he has not yet been found, search efforts remain active and ongoing.
The RCMP urges the public to respect all restricted areas and avoid interfering with search operations.
JULY 28 ORIGINAL STORY – BC Parks has temporally closed Coquihalla Canyon Park (Othello Tunnels) due to an incident in-park and the ongoing presence of the RCMP.
First responders are in the process of planning a coordinated recovery operation at Coquihalla River following a fatality on Saturday.
On July 26, 2025, at 6:17 p.m. Hope RCMP received a report that a 19-year-old man had fallen into the river in the Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park area, near the Othello Tunnels.
Hope RCMP, RCMP Integrated Police Dog Services, Search and Rescue (SAR), District of Hope Fire Department, and Emergency Health Service attended the area. SAR deployed a raft and successfully rescued of a bystander who became stranded while trying to locate the man that fell.
First responders searched the area using a remotely piloted aircraft system; however, they were unable to locate the man. It is believed that he is likely is trapped below the surface due to the heavy current.
The RCMP Underwater Recovery Team (URT) were consulted and attended the scene the following day to conduct a site assessment in daylight. Due to the steep terrain and fast flowing water, a coordinated recovery operation is being planned for a later date.
BC Parks has closed the Othello Tunnels until further notice.
Further updates will be posted as they become known.
