Rescue crews suspend recovery mission for missing fire chief from flood-stricken B.C. Interior
Maryse Zeidler | CBC News | Posted: May 15, 2017 1:43 AM | Last Updated: May 15, 2017
Crews began searching for Clayton Cassidy after he went missing May 5
RCMP say they have suspended the recovery mission for a missing fire chief who was likely swept away by flood waters in Cache Creek, B.C., earlier this month.
Clayton Cassidy, 59, was last seen on May 5 just outside the village — about an hour west of Kamloops — checking water levels in the creek near the Brookside Campground.
Cassidy's vehicle was found near a washed-out bridge where he was last spotted. Crews presumed he was swept away or fell into the water.
A few days later, the search was changed to a recovery mission, the chief presumed dead.
Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said the missing person file will remain open, but crews and community volunteers have suspended their search efforts as of Sunday.
Cassidy, known for his dogged community involvement, won a B.C. award for his leadership and bravery during a past flood.
In 2016, Premier Christy Clark lauded Cassidy for his tireless community service and grit during the 2015 Cache Creek flash floods, noting that "some people rise to the occasion and others go above and beyond."
The province's Interior has been hit with flooding caused by heavy rains and melting snow pack over the last week.
With files from Yvette Brend and Liam Britten