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Port Alice Man Found

The search for 62 year old Marc Regimbal, from Port Alice, ended tragically on April 4

The search for 62-year-old Marc Regimbal, from Port Alice, ended tragically April 4.RCMP officers, Campbell River Search and Rescue were joined in the search by the RCMP helicopter based in Comox, Police Dog Service, and by volunteers from Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA).

Volunteers searched through Friday night and all day Saturday, finally wrapping up Sunday afternoon, having searched hundreds of kilometres of mainline and spur roads, in the area bounded by Quatsino Sound to the north, the West Coast down as far as the Brooks Peninsula, and Neroutsos Inlet to the east. Just after 2 p.m. April 4, Port Alice and Port Hardy RCMP were dispatched to a remote logging road, near O’Connell Lake, south of Mahatta River camp on Quatsino Sound, after they received a report of a vehicle down a steep embankment.

Monday morning a car was found by loggers in the area of Red Stripe mountain, which was far from Regimbal's intended route. The steep decline and terrain made it impossible for investigators to get to the vehicle, and ascertain whether there was anyone inside.

After several hours, and with the assistance of the Campbell River Search and Rescue, and using machinery volunteered by the LeMare Lake Logging Company, responders were able to extract the vehicle up the hill to the roadway.

Late last Tuesday evening, Port Alice RCMP confirmed the vehicle was Regimbal's and his body was located inside. The investigation into this fatal motor vehicle collision is ongoing, in partnership with a traffic collision analyst, from North Island Traffic Services, as well as the BC Coroners Service.

An autopsy is expected later this week, to assist in determining cause of death. Port Hardy RCMP St.Sgt. Gord Brownridge said, "I would like to extend my personal gratitude to the employees and owner at LeMare Lake Logging Company and the Campbell River SAR. We would not have been able to extricate the vehicle, and subsequently locate the missing person, had it not been for LeMare Logging providing equipment, and voluntarily shutting down operations which were instrumental in the recovery, and the Campbell River SAR with their expertise in complex operations, such as these."