Kamloops driver presumed drowned after vehicle plunges into North Thompson River

A 24‑year‑old woman driving on Schubert Drive near Birch Avenue in Kamloops went off the road at about 6:20 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, 2026, and the car entered the fast‑moving North Thompson River. The vehicle was carried roughly 300 metres downstream and became submerged. The driver was not seen again and is missing, presumed drowned. A 21‑year‑old passenger was rescued by three bystanders who jumped into the water, and a bystander who assisted was also taken to Royal Inland Hospital with non‑life‑threatening injuries.

Responding agencies included the Kamloops RCMP, Kamloops Fire & Rescue, Kamloops Search & Rescue, BC Ambulance Service and RCMP Air Services. Search crews continued through the night and resumed on Monday, but as of the latest update no sign of the driver has been found. RCMP Superintendent Jeff Pelley thanked the rescuers and affirmed that an investigation into the cause is ongoing and the driver’s family will be notified. "Tragically, witnesses at the scene lost sight of the 24‑year‑old driver as she was carried further down river," the police statement said.