UPDATED June 5 After a search lasting six days, Brian Kyle Sloan has been found and returned to Powell River General Hospital by police.
The man walked away from hospital Sunday, May 26, and police launched an extensive search effort, which included bringing in Powell River Search and Rescue crews, Comox Valley Police Dog Service and an RCMP helicopter.
Sloan, 36, a Surrey, BC, resident, attended Max Cameron Secondary School and has family living in Powell River.
Sloan has a history of going missing. RCMP were alerted April 29 that he was missing after he did not return to his Surrey home for five days. Sloan was found May 7 in a cabin up Powell Lake and was taken to hospital. After spending almost a month there he left on May 26 and did not tell anyone where he was going.
Police located Sloan walking near the Wildwood bridge on Arbutus Avenue at approximately 3:45 pm on Friday, May 31, after he was identified by a member of the public.
Sloan was detained under the Mental Health Act and transported back to hospital for further medical care. “He was taken into custody without incident,” said Sergeant Rod Wiebe, of the Powell River RCMP. “He appeared to be in relatively good health considering the amount of time he had been missing.”
Powell River RCMP is appreciative of the extensive network of groups and individuals that were involved in searching for Sloan.
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TO FOLLOW ALONG THE TIMELINE DURING THE WEEK, HERE ARE THE PREVIOUS STORIES ABOUT THE SEARCH, BEGINNING WITH THE MOST RECENT TO THE OLDEST:
Helicopter brought in for search
A search continues for Brian Kyle Sloan after police and Powell River Search and Rescue crews scoured the backcountry network of trails between Powell and Inland lakes Wednesday, May 29, with the help of RCMP Air Services.
Sloan was last seen Sunday, May 26, at Powell River General Hospital. He is described as a 36-year-old Caucasian male, six feet tall and approximately 130 to 140 pounds. He has brown eyes and it was previously reported by witnesses that he has a shaved head. However, hospital employees say that likely his hair is the same as in the picture attached to this report. He was a patient in the psychiatric ward at the hospital.
“He didn’t tell anyone where he was going and he’s not really predictable in his actions, so we’re relying on the public to help us with tips of where he might be,” said Constable Chris Bakker of the Powell River RCMP.
Sloan has a history of going missing. RCMP were alerted April 29 that he was missing after not having returned to his Surrey home for five days. Sloan, who grew up in Powell River, was found May 7 in a cabin up Powell Lake.
From there he was taken to hospital. On May 26 he left the hospital and did not tell anyone where he was going.
Most of his family no longer lives in Powell River, but his brother has returned to help with the search.
“We had no indication of where he was going at that point,” said Bakker. “The idea was to give him a day or two to get there and then we checked all the areas around there.”
After he did not arrive at the cabin searchers broadened the scope of the area and called for assistance from search and rescue and the RCMP helicopter.
He does not pose a public threat and needs to be found for his own well-being, said Bakker. “We’ve distributed pictures to the ferries, local businesses and people who might be using trails like the hiking clubs, just in case someone has seen him,” he said.
Police are asking for the public’s assistance to help find Sloan. Anyone who sees Sloan is asked to please contact Powell River RCMP 604.485.6255.
Search continues for patient
Powell River RCMP and Search and Rescue continued their search Wednesday morning, May 29, for a missing hospital patient and ask for the public’s help to locate him.
“We are going to be continuing with Search and Rescue with checks in certain areas around Powell River,” said Constable Chris Bakker, “but at this point in time we don’t have any indication by him of where he would have gone.”
Brian Kyle Sloan is a 36-year-old Caucasian male, six feet tall and approximately 130 to 140 pounds. He has brown eyes and currently has a shaved head. He was a patient in the psychiatric ward at Powell River General Hospital.
Searchers worked their way through the trails in the area between Inland Lake and Powell Lake but failed to locate him.
Police started their search in the area based on past information they had about Sloan.
Surrey RCMP were alerted April 29 that Sloan was missing after not having returned to his home for five days. He was subsequently found on May 7 in Powell River and taken to hospital.
“At this point there is no threat to the public,” said Bakker. “We just need to get him back to the hospital for his own well-being.”
Police are counting on the public’s assistance in helping to find the man. Anyone who sees Sloan is asked to please contact Powell River RCMP 604.485.6255.
Police search for patient
Powell River RCMP are asking for the public’s help in locating a patient who left Powell River General Hospital psychiatric ward.
Brian Kyle Sloan was last seen Sunday, May 26. Police report that “although Sloan does not pose a threat to the public, it is important that he be located for his personal well-being.”
Sloan is a 36-year-old Caucasian male, six feet tall and approximately 130 to 140 pounds. He has brown eyes and currently has a shaved head.
Sloan may be heading to the backcountry around Powell River or to the Powell Lake area.
If seen, the public is asked to please contact Powell River RCMP at 604.485.6255.
Photo of Brian Kyle Sloan:
