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(Image Credit: RCMP)
By Nathaniel Leigh
Wapiti Bridge Crash

Sonar search of Wapiti River for missing driver inconclusive

Jul 2, 2026 | 6:00 AM

The investigation into a crash on the Wapiti River bridge has been delayed due to the recent rainfall.

On June 16, the bridge was damaged after a crane truck hit a guardrail and went into the water.

Cpl. Mathew Howell with the Alberta RCMP says sonar technology was deployed on June 22 to aid in the search for the vehicle’s driver, but failed to confirm whether they were still inside or had been swept downstream.

“The sonar was used, but there was no definitive picture as to whether or not the cab was still attached to the truck,” Howell says. “Sonar wasn’t able to get anything conclusive, and with the rain we’ve been getting, the river is still not slowing down.”

Corporal Howell says the fast-moving river water is preventing any further search attempts.

“Unfortunately, with the rain conditions we’ve been getting and the flooding everywhere, the river is gonna keep getting more and more water, which means the conditions are still going to be pretty bad for divers or anything,” he says. “So, it’s hard to give an estimate with the current weather conditions.”

by Nathaniel Leigh