Nakusp RCMP have issued a missing person alert for Kelowna resident Allan Ellsworth, 53, who was last seen on July 31 in the Trout Lake area. Trout Lake is located nearby to Beaton, B.C., on Highway 31 north of the Galena Bay ferry terminal.
It is the second missing person alert issued in the past week. Jared Szabo, 29, was last seen on Aug. 1 in the Beaton area, and was reported missing on Aug. 3, triggering a search involving aircraft, RCMP and regional search and rescue organizations. That search has been suspended as of Tuesday.
#NakuspRCMP Missing Person to locate – Allan Ellsworth https://t.co/G2LJSeMAxC pic.twitter.com/LIrK8cSdwn
— Southeast RCMP (@SoutheastRCMP) August 9, 2017
Searchers discovered a white pickup truck submerged in the Incomappleux River similar to Szabo’s. Today, the RCMP are able to confirm that they have positively identified that truck as Szabo’s truck.
It is submerged in a perilous section of the river. Searchers have been unable to access the truck due to dangerous river conditions. Although searchers have located the truck, they haven’t been able to see inside the truck to determine if anyone was still inside the submerged vehicle.
RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said that Ellsworth was vacationing in the Trout Lake area and failed to return to Kelowna. He was reported missing today, on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
“His last known location was at Trout Lake and he was due back to the Kelowna area and he has not returned,” Moskaluk said of Ellsworth’s disappearance.
In an interview with the Mountaineer, Cpl. Moskaluk said that despite the timing and proximity, police can’t connect the two missing persons cases at this point. “It’s difficult to state at this time,” Moskaluk said.
He did say the investigation isn’t criminal in nature. “There is no foul play indicated with respect to Jared Szabo’s disappearance,” Moskaluk said. “There is no foul play suspected in their disappearance.”
Ellsworth is described as follows:
• Caucasian male
• 53 years
• 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
• 235lbs (105 kg)
• Brown hair
• green eyes
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Allan Ellsworth is urged to contact the Nakusp RCMP at 250-265-3677, or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
For more on the Jared Szabo missing person case, see this link to our previous stories on the incident.