Found Deceased UT - Chenoa Plank, 26, & Benjamin Magalis, 24, Campers, Wasatch Co., 11 Nov 2018

[cybervampira]

Wasatch County Sheriff's Office

Last night our 911 Center received a call from the father of a 26 year old Salt Lake County woman. The father said his daughter went camping near Strawberry Reservoir on Sunday, Nov 11th, with her 24 year old boyfriend and her dog.

The father said she was supposed to return home on Nov. 13th, but she had not. He also said he had not heard from her.

Through the night, Wasatch County deputies located her vehicle near the Reservoir. A canoe she was reported to have taken was not near the vehicle.

The Wasatch County Search and Rescue Team used a helicopter this morning to locate the canoe. The canoe was on a small island in the Reservoir. No one was in or near the canoe.

Search crews are currently working to locate the individuals.

Sheriff’s officials searching for couple who went missing while camping in Wasatch County

 

[rainynights]

Search underway after man, woman go missing during Strawberry Reservoir outing | Gephardt Daily

A Salt Lake County woman and her boyfriend are missing almost a week after the couple went camping last Sunday near Strawberry Reservoir.

SAR teams plan on resuming search efforts Saturday at 7 a.m.

 

[zecats]

Search underway after man, woman go missing during Strawberry Reservoir outing | Gephardt Daily




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Strange that the dog was found safe on the island, still wearing a life vest. And the canoe was there so it obviously didn't capsize with them all in it. Not sure why they would abandon the dog either? Think they tried to take a "polar bear" swim and ended up drowning or succumbing to hypothermia? Either that or someone else was there and possibly harmed them. Interestingly bizarre case.

 

[Razz]

There's a movie on Netflix where a young couple paddles off to an island. The boyfriend was going to propose to her on their hike but they became lost. He succumbed to a bear attack but the girl managed to find her way back to the canoe and made it back to shore. But just barely.

I only use this as an example because the premise of the story was very plausible. (Don't know if the bear attack is plausible on this island but everything else is.) I hope they are found soon. It seems if they were careful enough to put a life jacket on the dog, then surely they were careful enough to have everything they needed to stay safe.

 

[bellesnwhistles]

Was the dog tied up? If not I would think it would have followed them, unless they were in the water

 

[musicaljoke]

The canoe may have drifted up onto the island. The dog may have followed it. He'd do ok with a life jacket on. But, if they put a lifejacket on the dog, you'd think that they'd be wearing one too. Are life jackets mandatory in UT?

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I have always been fearful of canoes even though I can swim rather well and love being in the water.

They just seem too light and I have seen a few tip over quite easily it seemed. It seems to need perfect balance especially for two who depend on each other to keep it upright.

Maybe they both decided to stand up at the same time for some reason then lost their balance and fell out but leaving the canoe upright.

What is strange though is they both sound safety conscience making sure the dog was in its lifevest so it seems they would have made sure they had theirs on too making them easier to find.

I think the dog was in the canoe with them whenever they left the canoe for whatever reason and the dog panicked knowing something was wrong and made it back to shore.

Although its possible they may not have been in the canoe when something happened to them.

I sure hope it wasn't some evil person who saw 2 young people alone and has done something terrible to them both.

We just seem to hear about more strangers now who seize on opportunities to do the worst unimaginable crimes against others just going about their daily lives.

No one is really safe anymore no matter who they are or how benign one's hobbies are. It's so sad its come to this.

I pray they are located soon.

Imo

 

[GraceG]

The canoe may have drifted up onto the island. The dog may have followed it. He'd do ok with a life jacket on. But, if they put a lifejacket on the dog, you'd think that they'd be wearing one too. Are life jackets mandatory in UT?

It's only law that each passenger have one within reach, not that they are worn. My Mom was Deputy Sheriff for many years and dealt with quite a few drownings. It's not uncommon for only the children or pets to have one on while the adults don't don them.

 

[tiffkinsadder]

Hope they are found soon!

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Are bears in hybrination now in Utah?

I even hate to think they have been attacked by wild animals but I think they would find evidence pretty quickly if that had happened.

Imo

 

[zecats]

Do we even have names for this woman and her boyfriend?

 

[rainynights]

Do we even have names for this woman and her boyfriend?

Not yet, from what I've seen in MSM. Notification of some family members may still be pending.

On Thursday night, the 26-year-old woman's father called 911 and said he hadn't heard from her or her 24-year-old boyfriend. They were expected back from the lake by Tuesday evening, said Wasatch County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jared Rigby.

The woman is from Salt Lake County and her boyfriend is from Minnesota. Their names were not immediately released pending notification of family members.

Crews search for couple missing after camping trip at Strawberry River

 

[zecats]

Are bears in hybrination now in Utah?

I even hate to think they have been attacked by wild animals but I think they would find evidence pretty quickly if that had happened.

Imo

Info about black bears in Utah:

Black Bears and Hibernation

"Bears are not truly hibernating. It's actually a process called torpor."

"In the inter mountain west, denning begins in October (for females) and November (for males) and lasts until April (for males) and May (for females)."

 

[Hatfield]

This is really strange case.

JMO
The only thing I can think of that could have happened is maybe they were near the island on the upwind side and fell in the water. The canoe and dog would have made it to the island if the wind was going that way because dog would have made a bee line for the land and canoe would have floated toward it with the wind.

The missing piece of information we need to know if that is what could have happened is whether the canoe was dragged up onto the island or was it just resting up near the shoreline like it could have drifted there.

I sure wish when news breaks of these kinds of stories that they could give a little more critical information like we need about that part. Telling us it is "on the island" does not tell us if it was dragged up on shore or if it just was up against the shore by the wind which could have done it. When you are in a canoe and want to go on shore then most people will drag the front end quite a ways up on the shore and you know it. We dont know because they didnt tell us. Ugggg.

"The canoe was on a small island in the reservoir. No one was in or near the canoe.”

The statement, posted at about 4 p.m. Friday, said search crews found no trace of the couple, but the dog, which was wearing a life vest, was found on the island uninjured."

Search underway after man, woman go missing during Strawberry Reservoir outing | Gephardt Daily

 

[zecats]

This is really strange case.

JMO
The only thing I can think of that could have happened is maybe they were near the island on the upwind side and fell in the water. The canoe and dog would have made it to the island if the wind was going that way because dog would have made a bee line for the land and canoe would have floated toward it with the wind.

The missing piece of information we need to know if that is what could have happened is whether the canoe was dragged up onto the island or was it just resting up near the shoreline like it could have drifted there.

I sure wish when news breaks of these kinds of stories that they could give a little more critical information like we need about that part. Telling us it is "on the island" does not tell us if it was dragged up on shore or if it just was up against the shore by the wind which could have done it. When you are in a canoe and want to go on shore then most people will drag the front end quite a ways up on the shore and you know it. We dont know because they didnt tell us. Ugggg.

"The canoe was on a small island in the reservoir. No one was in or near the canoe.”

The statement, posted at about 4 p.m. Friday, said search crews found no trace of the couple, but the dog, which was wearing a life vest, was found on the island uninjured."

Search underway after man, woman go missing during Strawberry Reservoir outing | Gephardt Daily

Exactly what I was thinking. Hard to determine much without knowing the state of the canoe. Where was it? How far onshore? Upside down? In my experience with canoes and canoeing, we do pull ashore pretty far onto the beach or land so that the canoe won't drift back out into the water. In fact, if we're stopping for a while, we will pull it completely out of the water. My impression initially was that the canoe had been pulled ashore in order for LE to state it was found ON the island. But you have me thinking, for sure. Either way, it's possible that they put a life vest on themselves but not the dog. When we canoe, our seat cushions are our life preservers and we can put them on as needed. A dog is not able to put one on himself (I know - obvious statement) so it needs to have it on all the time. The dog could therefor have survived a scenario where the boat capsized or just drifted ashore. All jmo

ETA Water temps in the reservoir are a factor as well and I would imagine they're pretty chilly by now. Dog would probably have had to be close to shore or already on shore. Wonder if there were signs he had been in the water?

 

[Elainera]

This is really strange case.

JMO
The only thing I can think of that could have happened is maybe they were near the island on the upwind side and fell in the water. The canoe and dog would have made it to the island if the wind was going that way because dog would have made a bee line for the land and canoe would have floated toward it with the wind.

The missing piece of information we need to know if that is what could have happened is whether the canoe was dragged up onto the island or was it just resting up near the shoreline like it could have drifted there.

I sure wish when news breaks of these kinds of stories that they could give a little more critical information like we need about that part. Telling us it is "on the island" does not tell us if it was dragged up on shore or if it just was up against the shore by the wind which could have done it. When you are in a canoe and want to go on shore then most people will drag the front end quite a ways up on the shore and you know it. We dont know because they didnt tell us. Ugggg.

"The canoe was on a small island in the reservoir. No one was in or near the canoe.”

The statement, posted at about 4 p.m. Friday, said search crews found no trace of the couple, but the dog, which was wearing a life vest, was found on the island uninjured."

Search underway after man, woman go missing during Strawberry Reservoir outing | Gephardt Daily

These are my thoughts as well Hatfield.

But why did the couple vanish (drown?) but the dog made it safe onto the island? Maybe the dog stayed in the canoe and jumped onto dry land once it was close enough? Lucky little guy it seems!

 

[zecats]

Seems chilly even for summer boating.

Strawberry Reservoir - Heber Valley

 

[musicaljoke]

These are my thoughts as well Hatfield.

But why did the couple vanish (drown?) but the dog made it safe onto the island? Maybe the dog stayed in the canoe and jumped onto dry land once it was close enough? Lucky little guy it seems!

The dog had a life jacket on. Lucky dog.

 

[Elainera]

The dog had a life jacket on. Lucky dog.

I know. But even without a life jacket I'm puzzled they both drowned, that they weren't able to swim to shore.

Or maybe they were, we don't know that yet.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

How big is this island? Surely they have had ample time by now to check every square inch I would think.

Yet they have not found any trace of them on the island or in the water. Nothing that could have been in the canoe if items came out with them if they went overboard??? Seems so strange.

Could someone have been there watching them and have kidnapped them?

IDK but it sure is an odd set of circumstances.

Imo