Kyle Yrjola’s body was found in Okanagan Lake after he went missing following a storm while paddleboarding near Fintry Provincial Park on Sept. 22, 2026.
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Kyle Yrjola, who went missing after a sudden storm while paddleboarding near Fintry Provincial Park on Okanagan Lake, has been found after 23 days.
On Sept. 22, Yrjola was paddleboarding with his girlfriend, Jaycee Martin, off Fintry Provincial Park when the weather changed. Martin said the water had been calm and conditions were initially “perfect,” but winds began to pick up and waves quickly developed.
Martin said that as the conditions worsened, Yrjola was swept away from his paddleboard into the water. She attempted to get the board to him, but the paddleboard drifted out of reach after the paddles were swept away, and she lost sight of him. She called 911 and was told to stay on her paddleboard while Yrjola disappeared from view.
For 23 days, family members continued searching for answers until a volunteer Hutterite dive team from Manitoba arrived in the Okanagan. The team, HEART — the Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team — met with Martin on Sept. 14 to develop a search plan.
HEART was led by Manuel Maendel and brought specialized sonar equipment to scan the lake for signs of Yrjola. Maendel said the team uses its equipment and methods to help people in distress, and he noted it “doesn’t matter where or how.”
The volunteer team drove to the Okanagan and brought equipment capable of scanning deep water. The search plan involved using GPS guidance technology to help follow precise, straight lines across the lake while scanning the lakebed, with the aim of methodically covering search areas.
The team began scanning early the next morning after meeting Martin, and Martin watched as the sonar was used. At depths reaching 600 feet, the team said even specialized sonar cannot guarantee a discovery, and they noted there can be situations where searches turn up nothing.
Martin said something appeared on the sonar that looked like a body. The team then sent a remotely operated camera down to investigate the anomaly after hours on the water, and it confirmed that the object was Yrjola.
After the finding, Martin said Yrjola was “very kind” and described him as patient, a “really good boyfriend,” and “a really good best friend.” Maendel said the feeling was “overwhelming,” and he added that being able to help a family “fuels” the team for future searches.
The volunteer team said it has helped more than 30 families in the past 10 years, offering its services free of charge.
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