Family calls on American sonar experts for missing kayaker search in B.C. lake | 24CA News
The grief-stricken household of a kayaker who went lacking on Kalamalka Lake close to Vernon, B.C., and is now presumed drowned, is desperately in search of closure and have solid their gaze south of the border to satisfy that goal.
It’s been every week and a half since Eli Buruca, 26, went lacking whereas kayaking throughout a sudden storm. He’d been paddling with a gaggle of pals and whereas all of them made it again, he didn’t.
RCMP and search and rescue crews have but to find his physique.
“We would like to find him and put him to rest, and as soon as possible, and start working on how we can heal from this — but also, you know, maintain his memory,” mentioned Nidia Buruca Majano, Eli Buruca’s sister.
She and different members of the younger man’s household arrived from Calgary quickly after he went lacking and have been on the lookout for him since.
“We cannot sit and just nothing. So my family and I have been out every single day, morning, night looking for him with a drone or getting on a boat,” she mentioned.
Vernon Search and Rescue had been scouring the lake, however RCMP stood the group down when the search remained fruitless.
The household is now pinning their hopes on Gene and Sandy Ralston, an American couple who makes a speciality of recovering drowned victims utilizing side-scan sonar gear.
They are anticipated to reach on Tuesday or Wednesday.
“They’ll be coming to help us. They’ll be using a specialized towed sonar device which will help cover a larger area and hopefully find him,” she mentioned.
The Ralstons have taken half in restoration missions in Okanagan Lake earlier than, together with one in 2013 and one other in 2021.
Their time, nevertheless, is volunteered, so cash is being raised to cowl their fundamental prices.
The fundraiser may even be used to help the household in taking Burica again to El Salvador to be buried alongside his brother.
In the meantime, Majano has a request for many who are out and about this weekend.
“If there’s anyone who has some time (and) happens to be out on the lake, if you’re walking on the trail on either side, if you’re kayaking or if you’re on a boat, if you could just keep your eyes open in case he has come up,” she mentioned.
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