Access to the Othello Tunnels in Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park near Hope, B.C., has been closed as emergency responders work to recover the body of a man believed to have drowned.
RCMP say police received a call Saturday evening that a 19-year-old man had fallen into the Coquihalla River near the tunnels.
Officers, search dogs, firefighters and paramedics all descended on the scene, and a bystander who was stranded while looking for the man was rescued by raft.
However, emergency responders say they were unable to find the victim despite the use of a drone to search the area.
Police say they believe the man's body is likely trapped underwater by heavy currents, and rescuers have assessed the site in daylight to formulate recovery procedures.
A co-ordinated recovery operation is in the planning stages, and police say the tunnels have been closed until further notice.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2025.
Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press
