Fisherman missing on Okanagan Lake identified by family

Photo: Maddy Pool

Photo of Travis Van Hill

The daughter of the man missing on Okanagan Lake is urging the public to keep their eyes peeled for him.

Maddy Pool identified the missing man as her step-father, Travis Van Hill. She says Van Hill was working last night on a boat that fishes for shrimp at night.

According to Pool, no storm was forecasted last night, which is why the boats went out.

She said the company is "really smart" about storms.

“There were two boats out there last night. The one boat made it in safe and the other one didn't, which was the one that my stepdad was on.”

The boat capsized near Ellison Provincial Park at the north end of the lake, and being that Van Hill was working, WorkSafeBC has been called in.

Pool says the organization will not let anyone near the boat. She adds the company Van Hill works for has a boat and a crane that could pull the capsized boat.

“It seems like they care more about covering their own asses than saving a life,” she said.

WorkSafeBC said the company is not able to comment on Pool's claims, but said they are working with authorities "to determine the best options for the recovery operation to ensure the safety of everyone involved."

"We are not able to provide any additional details while the investigation is underway," said WorkSafeBC spokesperson Yesenia Dhott.

RCMP said Tuesday police would ultimately be responsible for removing the boat from the lake but timelines are unknown. They believe there is submerged netting and they don’t want any boaters to get entangled.

Pool said she wants people to keep an eye out for Van Hill.

"The winds are hitting in both directions. So we don't know where, if he jumped, like he had his life jacket on. So we don't know where he would have drifted to."

A search is also underway on Kalamalka Lake for a kayaker who went missing in the storm.

Photo: Tracey Prediger

The capsized fishing boat on Okanagan Lake.