The Body Of A Man Who Went Missing 3 Years Ago In A BC Lake Was Just Found By 2 Seniors
The couple, in their 70s, are experts at "underwater search and recovery".
A 26-year-old man went missing in 2019, and his body was just found in B.C. by a married couple who are in their 70s.
The missing man, named Thomas Hines, was originally from Nova Scotia and went missing while canoeing on Waugh Lake in Egmont, B.C.
After the RCMP conducted a search, he was assumed to have drowned in the lake, although his body was never found. The case has finally been closed now though, thanks to the couple who are actually volunteer divers.
When the man went missing three years ago the Sunshine Coast RCMP "exhausted all available avenues," police said.
They did an aerial search with a helicopter, sent out a dive team and searched the shoreline for Hines.
Then the police turned to Gene and Sandy Ralston, a couple in their 70s who police said are "renowned for donating their time and expertise as underwater search and recovery specialists."
Police describe them as being "methodical and painstaking in their search for bodies."
The pair has had success in cases that were similar, so the RCMP enlisted them for help.
It wasn't so easy though. The couple actually had to drive from Boise, Idaho, to the Sunshine Coast in B.C.
It wasn't until early April of this year that the Ralstons made the drive — when the U.S.-Canada border restrictions were lifted. They drove from the U.S. with their RV and trailered sonar-equipped boat, for a last attempt to find Hines.
On April 4, the Ralstons began their search and found Hines within just 90 minutes.
Using their technology, they spotted something that they thought could be a body at the bottom of the lake.
"The Ralstons then deployed their submersible remote operated underwater vehicle (ROUV) and confirmed it was a human body," the police added.
Then, on April 6, divers brought Haines' body to the surface. Police noted that it was the Ralstons 170th recovery.
Haines' family in Nova Scotia has now been notified that his body was found.
Cst. Vander Helm said that they are relieved they could finally "bring some peace and closure to Tom's family and friends."