Friday, March 29, 2024

Family pleads for help locating missing man near Cowichan River

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A Cobble Hill family is asking the public for help locating Ben Kilmer, a husband and father of two who went missing near the Cowichan River.

Kilmer’s work van was found still running, with his personal belongings inside, along Cowichan Lake Road near Menzies Creek on Wednesday evening.

North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP investigators, a police dog team, and 29 Cowichan Search and Rescue started a search and worked through the night.

On Thursday, May 17, the search expanded to include the RCMP helicopter and 60 Search and Rescue from a number of Vancouver Island search teams, including Cowichan, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Salt Spring Island, Juan de Fuca and the Peninsula Emergency Measures Organization.

Ben’s wife Tonya posted on Facebook at around 6 a.m. Friday morning that her husband was still missing.

“We believe that he went into a forested from his van towards the Cowichan River. We believe that he has fallen and may be on a ledge, or an incline and may be near a distinct light grey boulder. Look up, look down, call out for him. This man loves nothing more than his family!” she wrote.

Search and Rescue say they do not require public assistance in the search area at this time, but that public can still help by keeping an eye out for Kilmer if they are out walking or hiking.

Kilmer is described as 5’7″, 205 lbs, with short brown hair and blue eyes. He is clean shaven and was last seen wearing light coloured pants, a black shirt, and steal toed work boots.

If you see Kilmer or have any information about his whereabouts please contact the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP at 250-748-5522 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

There is also a Facebook group where community members are coordinating search efforts.

 

 

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Myles Sauer
Former staff editor and writer at Victoria Buzz.

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