Search teams, helicopter scour rugged Coquitlam area for missing dogwalker

COQUITLAM, B.C. – Searchers from across Metro Vancouver are scouring a rugged area in Coquitlam for a woman and three dogs she was walking.

Coquitlam RCMP say 56-year-old Annette Poitras was last heard from at about 2:30 p.m. Monday as she walked the dogs through the Westwood Plateau area near her Coquitlam home.

Cpl. Michael McLaughlin says there is no indication of foul play, but Poitras was not equipped to spend the night outdoors.

Her husband, Marcel, was at the search command post overnight and says one of the dogs with Poitras is elderly, potentially stubborn and may have refused to continue to walk.

Searchers are hopeful that Poitras found shelter with the dogs to await help.

A rescue helicopter is assisting search teams, but poor weather and low cloud are complicating efforts to find the woman.

McLaughlin says the search will be scaled back overnight Tuesday.

“This is still an urgent if not more urgent investigation, but with darkness coming, severe weather conditions and treacherous terrain, we’re going to have to scale back the search overnight and start again at first light,” he says.

The focus of the search is on the east side of Eagle Mountain. Police are asking people to stay away from the area.

(The Canadian Press, CKNW, News1130)