Vernon Search & Rescue combs Kal Lake after empty paddleboard spotted

Photo: Darren Handschuh

UPDATE: 4:15 p.m.

Search manager Trevor Honigman says Vernon Search and Rescue crews came upon two unmanned and overturned paddleboards on Kalamalka Lake Tuesday afternoon.

"I could certainly look like someone had gone into the water," Honigman said as crews packed up at Kalavista boat launch.

"We were just making sure that wasn't the case."

VSAR confirmed the boards had simply blown off a nearby dock, but Honigman thanked the public for being alert and vigilant.

UPDATE: 3:55 p.m.

Vernon Search and Rescue confirms an empty paddleboard on Kalamalka Lake was just a case of the board being blown off a dock by the wind.

Emergency crews at the Kalavista boat launch are standing down.

ORIGINAL: 3:12 p.m.

Search and rescue crews are combing Kalamalka Lake.

Vernon Search and Rescue spokesperson Coralee Nairn confirms crews have mustered at the Kalavista boat launch in Coldstream and are searching the waters.

The report initially came in as a possible missing swimmer, but was updated to a paddleboard spotted on the water with no paddleboarder.

"It's possible the wind blew it off a dock," says Nairn.

"It was close by a private dock, and there were two more boards on the dock, but there are no reports of anyone missing at this time."

Nairn says both residents of the home with the dock have been accounted for and they are returning home to double check the scene.

VSAR and police are investigating to see if anyone took out a paddleboard and has not been accounted for.