Search for missing paddleboarder on Okanagan Lake paused after ‘extensive search’
Published 1:22 pm Thursday, September 24, 2026
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The search for a paddleboarder who went missing on Okanagan Lake has been suspended at this time, said Vernon North Okanagan RCMP.
“An extensive search of the area where the person was last seen has been conducted on the water and from the air,” RCMP media relations officer Constable Chris Terleski told Black Press Media. “The paddleboard was located yesterday but the person remains missing.”
Just before 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 22, RCMP were notified and called to assist a man and woman on paddleboards in distress on Okanagan Lake somewhere between Fintry Provincial Park and Carr’s Landing.
The woman was rescued by a Kelowna Fire Boat but the man was not located at the scene.
Vernon and Central Okanagan Search and Rescue teams joined in the search for the man. After searching on Tuesday night, operations began again at 8 a.m. on Wednesday with boat, helicopter, drone, and K9 crews. However, the man still hasn’t been found.
It’s believed the wind picked up on Tuesday night, knocking the man off of his paddleboard. It’s also believed the two were not wearing personal flotation devices or paddleboard leashes.
As the search has been suspended, Terleski said investigators are assessing the next steps to take.