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Missing Port Hardy man found deceased in car

A search for a missing 81-year-old Port Hardy man who vanished while driving home from a trip down island ended tragically Tuesday morning.
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Bill Fisher Sr. disappeared Thursday while driving from Campbell River to his Port Hardy home. Police are continuing to search for the 81-year-old who was last seen at Sayward Junction.

A four-day search for a missing 81-year-old Port Hardy man who vanished while driving home from a trip down island ended tragically this morning.

William Fisher Sr., who’d  had  been the focus of an intense ground and air search over much of northern Vancouver Island, was found dead in his vehicle at the bottom of an embankment,  southwest of Port Hardy along Hwy. 30 near Marble River.

The vehicle, a white 1995 Chrysler Concorde, was spotted by a passing motorist, who notified police.

Fisher disappeared after leaving Campbell River Hospital on the morning of Dec. 1. It was believed he was on his way back to his Port Hardy home.

He was reported missing to police by concerned family the next day.

Police were at the scene of the crash most of the day and an RCMP collision analyst was called to investigate.

The BC Coroner Service will be responsible for official confirmation of identity, and determining a cause of death.

An RCMP spokesman said right now there are more questions than answers surrounding the tragedy.

"We don't know when he went down the embankment, whether or not a medical condition was responsible for the collision or why he was on a route away from his Port Hardy home," said Cpl. Darren Lagan, who lauded the efforts of Search and Rescue technicians from around the North Island involved in the search.

Fisher's family asked for privacy at this time.