Search and rescue volunteers help in weekend search for missing Coldstream man

An elderly North Okanagan man missing since January was the subject of another search effort last weekend near Vernon. Search and rescue crews were called back out to look for Robert Lee Baines, a Coldstream man in his 80s who has been missing for about five months. Kamloops Search and Rescue volunteers responded to a mutual aid request as Vernon Search and Rescue crews searched Kalamalka Provincial Park again, according to the group's social media post. Baines was last seen on Jan. 2 at his son's Coldstream home. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's just before his disappearance. Crews have returned to the park multiple times, while Vernon North Okanagan RCMP have searched the lake itself, but none of those efforts have yet been successful in finding him. "The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP currently still have an active missing person investigation; unfortunately, we don’t have any further updates on Mr. Baines’ whereabouts and all efforts to date have been unsuccessful in locating him," Vernon RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Tania Finn said in an emailed statement today, June 19. Vernon and Kamloops search and rescue crews reopened the search for Baines this past weekend and also helped in the search for a man who drowned in the Shuswap River near Cherryville. https://infotel.ca/newsitem/man-drowns-in-shuswap-river-in-north-okanagan/it105264 The man was trying to swim across the river and back, but his friends could not find him after three hours, so they called 911. Search and rescue crews found his body the next day. To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry mailto:llandry@infonews.ca  or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .