Nakusp RCMP and Arrow Lakes Search and Rescue are still on the lookout for Kyung Chun, a 71-year-old Burnaby resident who went missing while picking mushrooms in the Fosthall area with a partner.
RCMP were alerted on Sept. 19 that Mr. Chun had gone missing. Campers in the area had noticed a van that appeared to be stuck and hadn’t moved earlier in the week. The van, full of Pine mushrooms, was in a spot about an hour drive into the bush and away from a base camp.
Mr. Chun’s mushroom-picking partner had been contacted by his family and he told them that Chun had left the van to pick mushrooms and hadn’t returned.
The partner waited by the van, and eventually made his way north, hitching a ride to Revelstoke. It was only after he had made his way back to the Lower Mainland that the police were notified of Chun’s disappearance.
RCMP have now spoken to Mr. Chun’s mushroom-picking partner, but no new information was discovered. No foul play is suspected.
A search was begun on Thursday, Sept. 19, and has been ongoing since. Arrow Lakes and Castlegar Search and Rescue also searched for Mr. Chun over the Sept. 28-29 weekend.
"Unfortunately, chances of survival slim at this point," said Sgt. Darryl Little of the Nelson RCMP, after two weeks being in the bush without food and in cold, wet weather.
Mr. Chun's family came out to the area and took his van back to the Lower Mainland. Anyone who has seen Mr. Chun is asked to contact the RCMP in Nakusp at 250-265-3677.
Correction: an earlier news release had incorrectly stated that campers in the area had alerted RCMP on Sept. 12 and that Mr. Chun's mushroom-picking partner had contacted his family.