Update, June 29 at 10:30 p.m.: The teen girl has been found alive, Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue team manager Ryan Smith confirms with Glacier Media.
ORIGINAL
The search for a missing 16-year-old girl who vanished while hiking in Golden Ears Park continues on Thursday.
Esther Wang, of Langley, was hiking with three other people through Golden Ears Park and arrived at Steve's lookout around 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday. The group headed back down to the campsite, and after 15 minutes of hiking, the group leader realized Wang was missing.
They returned to the lookout to look for Wang but couldn't find her. The leader headed to the trail entrance to notify a park ranger and police.
Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue (RMSAR) team manager Ryan Smith says the search for Wang was suspended late Wednesday night.
"(The search) will begin again this morning with more resources being deployed to the park," says Smith.
SAR is reminding the public that the search is being run by experienced personnel.
"We are conscious of many friends wishing to assist in the ongoing search. The terrain and location is very challenging and SAR are urging non-SAR personnel to avoid the location at this time," says Smith.
Since Tuesday, search and rescue teams from all over the Lower Mainland have converged on the park to search for her.
Crews searched through Tuesday night and again Wednesday "until dark." Golden Ears Park is one of B.C.'s largest parks, at more than 62,000 hectares in size, and the search area for the teenager is not only forested but mountainous and vast, says Smith.
"The area is used for recreational hiking. Areas off the hiking trails can be treacherous with steep terrain and thick vegetation," says Smith.
Glacier Media has confirmed Wang is a student at Walnut Grove Secondary School.
Friends are sharing images of Wang from the hike she posted on social media. They describe Wang as a 'sweet' and 'nice' person who is also a talented volleyball player.
“She is always smiling and making other people smile,” describes a close friend of Wang.
The 'leader' of the group told police Wang was carrying water and had food.
Police would not specify what technology was being used in the search when asked if thermal imaging was being used, but said all technology available is being utilized.
A Talon Helicopter and a police drone aided in the search on Tuesday, along with 45 different search and rescue 'resources.'
Two helicopters are going back and forth from the command area on Thursday afternoon dropping off search and rescue volunteers along with RCMP officers and police dogs.
“We have over 40 SAR volunteers searching in the field in addition to multiple members in command and control as well as our partner agencies and two helicopters operating in the search area,” says Smith.
Wang's family thanks everyone involved in the search and appreciates their efforts. Police are asking the public not to try and join the search, but instead, if someone knows what happened, contact Ridge Meadows RCMP at 604-463-6251.
Weather since Wang has gone missing has been favourable for a search with no rain.
In a tweet Thursday afternoon, Ridge Meadows RCMP said search and rescue efforts would be continuing "till dark."
