Story perspectives

RCMP Continues Search for Missing Okanagan Lake Paddleboarder

By Drooid · Sep 24, 2026, 7:57 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

RCMP and Vernon Search and Rescue continue searching for a missing paddleboarder on Okanagan Lake.
Kelowna Fire Rescue rescued the woman while the man remains missing.
Four vessels, a drone, thermal cameras and shoreline crews were deployed.
RCMP Air One and Air 4 helicopters joined the water search on Wednesday morning.
The Lifesaving Society of B.C. and Yukon recorded 42 drownings by August 2026, five on Okanagan Lake.

History

Historical Context

The deadliest U.S. storm of the 20th century, the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane, claimed about 2,500 lives after storm-surge flooded Lake Okeechobee and spurred the U.S. Coast Guard to launch its first aerial search plane, rescuing 42 victims. That pioneering rescue model underlies today’s RCMP Air One and Air 4 helicopters, Kelowna Fire Rescue and B.C. Lifesaving Society as they sweep Okanagan Lake for a missing paddleboarder.

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Story summary

RCMP and Vernon Search and Rescue continue searching for a missing paddleboarder on Okanagan Lake.
Kelowna Fire Rescue rescued the woman while the man remains missing.
Four vessels, a drone, thermal cameras and shoreline crews were deployed.
RCMP Air One and Air 4 helicopters joined the water search on Wednesday morning.
The Lifesaving Society of B.C. and Yukon recorded 42 drownings by August 2026, five on Okanagan Lake.

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