PORT MOODY, B.C. -- Volunteers showed up all day long at a community-based command centre in Port Moody’s Heritage Mountain neighbourhood, as a large local search effort continued for missing woman Trina Hunt.
Police said the 48-year-old was last seen by her husband on Monday morning at 6 a.m., and he reported her missing after returning home from work that evening to discover she wasn’t there.
Family, friends, neighbours and community members have all been helping to look for Hunt, whose disappearance is considered out of character.
In a statement provided through the Port Moody Police Department Thursday evening, Hunt's family thanked volunteers for their efforts, but said the community search effort was winding down.
"Our family has been overwhelmed with gratitude for the countless hours spent searching Heritage Mountain by hundreds of volunteers," the statement reads. "At this time, the community ground search is on hold and the volunteer command centre will wrap up this evening. The family continues to work with the police and hope that clues to her disappearance will be found."
A tent was set up in a local driveway, along with tables covered in donations of food, water, hand sanitizer, and posters of Hunt. Neighbour Tazeem Nanji told CTV News Vancouver it’s become a central meeting place for people who want to help in any way they can.
“It’s been amazing. I mean, our community is so incredible the way they’ve gathered around this family to help,” she said.
Neighbour Jessica Suryavanshi said there had been a steady stream of people coming by since she began manning the tent at 9 a.m.
“I feel so happy to just give the space, give the family what they need and help any way that we can,” she said.
Food and supplies for searchers poured in. One woman brought fresh baked goods. There was also a donation of socks from Mountain Equipment Co-op.
Alison Sagar brought hand sanitizer, and then headed out to check for neighbourhood surveillance cameras. She became emotional as she talked about how she works with Trina’s husband.
“We were very upset to hear the news,” she said. “Hopefully, we can make a difference ... I don’t know her personally but they’re just such an incredible couple.”
Hunt is described as being 5’4”, 120 pounds, and is believed to be wearing a black North Face jacket with a green collar and pink and purple shoes.
On Wednesday, Port Moody Police Department Staff Sgt. Brad Sheridan said Coquitlam Search and Rescue crews were called out to conduct ground searches on Monday and Tuesday, and an RCMP helicopter also helped search from the air over the two days.
“The area where Trina lives is very dense. There’s ... a lot of forest, a lot of trails, a lot of creeks, just a lot of ground to cover,” he said.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact the Port Moody police at 604-461-3456. Police are specifically asking for dash cam video from the Heritage Mountain area on Monday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"The Port Moody Police Department would like to acknowledge all of the efforts made by the many people who have volunteered to assist the Hunt family during this tremendously difficult time," the department said in its release Thursday. "We are proud to serve in such an engaged and caring community."
