Mother of missing man looking for more volunteers to search Sun Peaks

SUN PEAKS – The mother of a missing man is pleading for more volunteers to help search for her son.

Ryan Shtuka, 20, has been missing for nearly one week from the Sun Peaks area. He was last seen leaving a party on Burfield Drive at approximately 2:10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17.

Ryan is originally from Beaumont, Alta. where his family still lives.

Heather Shtuka says Ryan came out to Sun Peaks for the ski season to work, but still lives in Beaumont with his family.

Search and rescue crews, RCMP and civilian volunteers have been scouring the Sun Peaks area ever since Ryan went missing, in hope of some answers.

Heather says the group is in need of more volunteer searchers.

"Really at this point in time we were looking for anyone who wants to come out and help," Heather says.

She hopes more feet on the ground will help locate her son sooner, adding that about 30 people from Alberta have come to help, with more expected to come.

"Some people we don’t even know will come in to help."

Heather says volunteers have been covering much of the village and the surrounding area and searching by grids.

"It appears we’ve covered a lot of ground, now we just keep going back to the basics," Heather says.

Today, Feb. 23, searchers set up in the Sundance Room at the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel and Conference Centre. Heather says tomorrow search and rescue will be coming up and search headquarters will be based at the local fire hall.

"We have appreciated everyone's well wishes and prayers," Heather says. "Thank you to the Sun Peaks community for your support and love. The volunteers here have been working tirelessly to help bring Ryan home."

Heather is asking everyone to share information about Ryan's disappearance and to contact Kamloops RCMP at 250-828-3000 if they have any information.

To follow this story more, you can join the Missing Ryan Shtuka Facebook group.

Kamloops RCMP has also asked Sun Peaks residents to check their properties for any signs of Ryan as he may have made his way into a shed, garage or unlocked vehicle.

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