Renewed efforts to find a hiker who went missing in December have been suspended after two days of scouring the wilderness near Charters River in Sooke failed to turn up anything.
On the weekend, about 80 searchers from 11 search and rescue teams participated in the search for Melissa McDevitt, which was renewed after recently discovered data from McDevitt’s smartwatch narrowed the search area.
McDevitt, 38, was last seen on surveillance video on Dec. 9 in the Charters Creek fish hatchery parking lot on Sooke River Road, just a few kilometres away from the Sooke Potholes.
The original search seven months ago lasted nine days.
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue redeployed on Saturday in what they said was a “concentrated and refined area of interest” but failed to find anything.
Sooke RCMP has now suspended the search, police said in a statement Monday.
“We would like to acknowledge the significant efforts of Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue and all other assisting SAR agencies during this search period, particularly through challenging terrain during very warm weekend weather,” said Sgt. Kevin Shaw in a statement, adding that the RCMP will continue their investigation.
A powerful windstorm hit Vancouver Island the night McDevitt went missing . She had been due to fly to North Carolina the day after her hike to visit family.
Her grey Subaru Forester was found in the fish hatchery parking lot after she was reported missing.
The December search of the Sea to Sea Regional Park was led by Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue and included up to 170 volunteers and 17 different search agencies combing over sometimes difficult terrain in rain and snow.
Searchers poured in a combined total of 5,000 hours over nine days in what would become one of the largest searches on the Island.
The search was suspended on Dec. 19.
Sooke RCMP have said that they have maintained an active missing-person investigation and have stayed in close contact with McDevitt’s family.
Anyone with new information on McDevitt’s disappearance is asked to call Sooke RCMP at 250-642-5241.
