Search continues on the Central Coast
A mother has been found dead and her 19-year-old daughter remains missing after what British Columbia conservation officers believe was a grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola.
Conservation officers were called into the Bella Coola area after relatives reported the pair missing on Sunday. RCMP officers and search-and-rescue teams were deployed, and the mother was located deceased on Monday afternoon in the Snooka West Trail area.
The trail is about eight kilometres east of Bella Coola on the province’s Central Coast. The search for the daughter is continuing, while conservation officers investigate what happened and work to determine whether a bear remains in the area.
Bear-trapping operation underway
In a video update posted online, Insp. Jeff Tyre of the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said crews were trying to locate the missing young woman and had found her mother during the operation.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the victims during this tragic time.”
Tyre said trapping efforts had begun, but no bears had been captured. The conservation service has described the incident as a suspected attack, meaning the investigation is still unfolding and the circumstances have not been fully established.
The immediate response now includes two linked tasks: finding the missing daughter and identifying any bear connected to the deaths. The available information does not say whether the animal or animals involved have been located, or provide further details about the condition of the trail area.
A community carrying another trauma
The incident has struck a community that was already dealing with the effects of a serious bear encounter last year. A group of children and teachers were attacked by a grizzly near Bella Coola, with several people suffering critical injuries.
That earlier event remains part of the local context as residents await information about the latest search. In a statement, the Nuxalk Nation said the full circumstances of the new incident were still developing and directed community members and media to the conservation officer service for updates.
“While the full circumstances are still unfolding, we understand first-hand the trauma this incident will inflict upon the victims’ family members, the victims of last year’s attack, and the community at large.”
The statement was attributed to elected Chief Samuel Schooner, who offered condolences to the family as it receives news about the incident.
What is known
| Detail | Information released |
|---|---|
| Location | Snooka West Trail area, roughly eight kilometres east of Bella Coola |
| People involved | A mother, who was found dead, and her 19-year-old daughter, who is missing |
| Report to authorities | The pair was reported missing by family on Sunday |
| Response | RCMP, search-and-rescue crews and conservation officers are involved |
| Bear response | Trapping is underway; no bears had been captured at the time of the update |
The details released so far leave several questions unanswered, including the precise sequence of events, the daughter’s whereabouts and whether a bear can be linked conclusively to the death. Those answers will depend on the continuing search and investigation.
Updates expected as search continues
For residents of Bella Coola, the case brings together the realities of life around a remote Central Coast community and the weight of a deeply personal loss. The trail is close enough to town to make the search a matter of immediate public concern, while the family’s loss remains at the centre of the response.
Officials have not announced that a bear has been caught, and the source information does not identify any closures, public restrictions or other measures affecting access to the trail. Further information about the search, the investigation and any conservation action is expected to come from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
Authorities and the Nuxalk Nation have urged attention to official updates as the circumstances are clarified. Until then, the confirmed facts remain stark: a mother is dead, her daughter has not been found, and conservation officers are investigating a suspected grizzly attack in the Bella Coola area.
