'Our hearts are heavy': Missing Whistler SAR member found dead
A Whistler Search and Rescue Society member missing since Thursday has been found dead, the British Columbia Search and Rescue Association confirmed Sunday.
Toby Salin was last seen in Pemberton on Thursday morning, and his disappearance prompted searches by numerous agencies and an outpouring of support from the search and rescue community.
"It is with a very heavy heart that we confirm the passing of Whistler SAR member, Toby Salin," the BCSARA said in a Facebook post Sunday.
"Toby will be remembered for his strong commitment to SAR, his incredible work ethic and dry sense of humour. He will be missed by many."
In its own Facebook post, Whistler SAR offered its "deepest condolences" to Salin's family, friends and colleagues.
"Our hearts are heavy with this sad news," the search team said. "We will miss you Toby and never forget you and your unwavering support as a volunteer and member. Rest In Peace."
On Saturday, BCSARA senior manager Dwight Yochim told CTV News members are used to being called out to try and find missing people, but the search for Salin was an emotional undertaking for the close-knit community of volunteers.
"Almost every team in the province who is aware of what's going on has reached out," he said. "It's a family."
The 3,000 members of B.C.'s search and rescue teams, Yochim explained, will often be called to other parts of the province when help is needed – as was the case when catastrophic flooding hit parts of B.C. last year.
"It might be two o'clock in the morning and you're working with individuals you might not ever have met, but you trust them with your life. As you can imagine, when one of us goes missing, you want to pull out all the stops," he said.
Salin's truck was found near the In-SHUCK-ch Forest Service Road, southeast of Pemberton, local Mounties said in a statement Friday, adding that "Pemberton Search and Rescue, RCMP Air Services, Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team, Pemberton RCMP, Stl'atl'imx Tribal Police, local residents, and RCMP Integrated Police Dog Services" had participated in an unsuccessful search for the 51-year-old.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.