The back-country search for a missing Kelowna, B.C., man with dementia is on hold.
“The ground search for Allan Francescutti has been paused while RCMP and COSAR continue to gather information,” Central Okanagan Search and Rescue said in a statement.
“It will resume once we have further leads and COSAR fully expects to have another large mutual aid turnout on the weekend. So far volunteer searchers have put in more than 1,000 hours combing the area around Dee Lake.”
COSAR asked that anyone with game cameras along any roads in the Aberdeen plateau check them for signs of Francescutti.
Volunteers with COSAR have focused on the backcountry in Lake Country, near where his truck was found.
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On Friday, five dog teams took part in the search and on Saturday up to 100 volunteers from search and rescue organizations from around B.C. descended on the area to try and locate the senior.
Francescutti was last seen leaving his Lower Mission home on April 16. According to COSAR, Francescutti has been diagnosed with dementia and may be confused.
“We’re looking for evidence to see if he’s walked around and then we can follow his footprints or tracks that way,” Duane Tresnich, search manager with Central Okanagan Search and Rescue, said in an earlier interview.
Tresnich said the terrain is challenging for searchers, who are using UTVs and ATVs in addition to being on foot.
“The trees are growing very close together and it hasn’t been logged or forested in a long time,” Tresnich said.
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