Hundreds of people on B.C.’s Central Coast are searching for a 38-year-old man who was last seen nine days ago.
According to family, Heiltsuk member David Gordon Campbell was last seen on Sept. 17 in Bella Bella, approximately 470 kilometres northwest of Vancouver.
His aunt, Joann Green, says Campbell told family he was going out fishing, but he didn’t come home. His boat was found with its motor still running on a nearby beach, prompting a search that has involved more than 300 people from Bella Bella and nearby communities.
RCMP say dive team teams have been involved in the search, as well as land, water and air searches which have so far been unsuccessful.
The Canadian Coast Guard confirms that it dispatched five vessels to search for Campbell but suspended the operation on Sept. 18 around 1 p.m.
Green says Campbell was last seen wearing a dark grey muscle shirt and a pair of camouflage shorts and has tattoos on his arms and neck.
‘We can really feel the heaviness’
Green says Campbell is a father and grandfather, and his disappearance has affected not just his family but the wider Heiltsuk community.
“We can really feel the heaviness in the communities,” she said. “It’s really hard on his parents and his siblings.”
She said that the amount of support coming in to help in search efforts or to donate goods for those involved has been heartening.
“[I’m] really overwhelmed and really amazed at what our community is doing to try to find David,” Green said.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bella-bella-fishing-speed-boat-missing-1.6596579
