Family of missing snowshoer wants court to declare loved one dead

The family of a Vancouver man who went missing while snowshoeing on Cypress Mountain in 2016 is going to court in a bid to get a declaration that their loved one is presumed to be dead.

Roy Tin Hou Lee, 43, and his friend, Chun Sek Lam, 64, were reported missing and a search launched after their vehicle was found in the parking lot at Cypress on Dec. 25, 2016.

Extensive ground and air searches of Cypress and the surrounding areas were done by North Shore Search and Rescue but the efforts were hampered by poor weather.

The search was called off on Dec. 30, 2016. The two men remain missing. On May 17, 2017, several items of clothing, snowshoe gear and personal items were located in the Capilano Lake Reservoir and Strachan Creek. Those items were linked to the missing men, according to a report prepared by West Vancouver Police.

Further searches were conducted and in September 2017, additional items were recovered which were identified as belonging to Lee.

In an affidavit, Lee’s father, Tak Chiu Lee, said that to the best of his knowledge no one had heard from or spoken to his son, who lived at the same Vancouver home as his parents, since Dec. 24, 2016.

“I have no reason to believe Roy survived the snowshoeing expedition that led to his disappearance on Dec. 25, 2016,” said the dad in his affidavit.

The affidavit was part of a petition filed in B.C. Supreme Court, asking that Roy Lee be presumed dead. The family also asked for an order for life insurance proceeds to be paid out, under the Insurance Act.