Attempts to locate a 71-year-old Burnaby man missing near Nakusp have been unsuccessful.
Kyung Chun was reported missing on September 19 when his van was found stuck by campers. It was learned he didn’t return to the group he was mushroom picking with near Fostal, 25 kilometres south of Nakusp across the Arrow Park Ferry.
Some time passed between Chun’s disappearance and the incident’s report and RCMP have since learned additional details through interviewing his companion.
“It appears Mr. Chun may have gotten lost on the back roads or taken a wrong turn eventually getting his vehicle stuck,” said RCMP in a release.
Chun’s companion describes arriving at the site on Friday, September 13 and gathering mushrooms.
“After dinner the following evening, September 14, Mr. Chun decided to drive the load of mushrooms back to the coast, leaving the male in camp,” relayed RCMP. “The other male remained at the site with other mushroom pickers and when Mr. Chun failed to return, made his way to Revelstoke and returned to Vancouver.”
Since the original missing report was received, Search and Rescue members from various locations within the West Kooenay area have conducted several ground and water searches without success.
Search and Rescue also did a grid search of the area immediately surrounding the stuck van, “again without finding any trace of Mr. Chun,” said police.
The search was suspended Tuesday but will resume Wednesday, weather permitting. Chun suffers from some health concerns and requires medication.
“All parties involved including his family, the RCMP, search and rescue members are concerned for his well being,” said RCMP. “The temperatures have been dropping overnight and the weather has been inclement.”