Friday, May 17, 2019
~ West Shore Voice News
A young man of the Sooke community cannot be found and his family has released a letter to the public through the media.
Jonah Mayhue, 29, was last seen on Wednesday May 8 around 11 am, watching two grey whales rubbing on the rocks at the entrance to the Gordon River. An hour later Jonah’s surfboard was found on Pacheedaht Beach but there was no sign of him, the family said in a statement on May 15.
Sooke RCMP said on May 11 that they had recovered the surfboard but four days later the extensive search and rescue effort was called off.
This is the family’s full statement (issued May 15): “At this time Search and Rescue has suspended its extensive land, air and sea search for Jonah. Jonah used his surfboard to cross the Gordon River at low tide to the West Coast Trail side. After a comprehensive five day search Jonah has not been located. The huge effort put forth by the Search and Rescue teams, Parks Canada, the RCMP, family, friends, and citizens of Pacheedaht and Port Renfrew provides us with much needed solace. We deeply thank everyone involved in the Search for their unrelenting dedication to finding our Jonah. We will continue to search for Jonah. Anyone with information that could help us is asked to contact Sooke RCMP at 250 642 5241. We request privacy at this time but look forward to sharing everyone’s memories of our son and brother.”