Date: May 11, 2021
File: 21-4822
Victoria, BC – VicPD’s Historical Case Review (HCR) Unit is working in partnership with Saanich Police Department investigators and the BC Coroners Service to identify skeletal human remains discovered by recreational divers in the Gorge Waterway in February, 2021.
On February 4th, 2021, VicPD Patrol officers and investigators with our Forensic Identification Section (FIS) were called to the Gorge Waterway near the Tillicum Bridge after recreational divers recovered skeletal human remains. The remains are a partial human cranial bone and were initially suspected to be archeological.
The BC Coroners Service took custody of the remains for further forensic investigation and testing. As a result of that testing, the remains are now believed likely to be historical in nature, but are not believed to be ancient or archeological.
Given the location and investigative needs, the Saanich Police Department and VicPD are working together, utilizing investigators and the Saanich PD Dive Team to further the investigation and assist the BC Coroner in identifying the person.
More information will be released about this file as we are able to share more.
This file remains under investigation.
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