UPDATE: Body recovered from Thompson River was Vernon doctor

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Mounties say they notified the family after identifying the body.

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The death is not considered criminal in nature.

A GoFundMe to help Mthandazo’s surviving family members — his wife and two sons — had raised over $32,000 as of 4 p.m. today.

(With files from Vernon Matters Staff)

Dr. Michael Mthandazo (middle) with family members. (Photo courtesy of GoFundMe)

— Original Story posted at 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11 —

Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) and Kamloops RCMP were called to the Thompson River today (Aug. 11) for a body recovery.

In response, KFR launched their boat to help bring the body on to the shore near Aviation Way where RCMP and the BC Coroners Service were waiting. The body was removed from the water and taken away by the coroner after investigative steps were taken.

Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Crystal Evelyn confirms the call came in at around 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

“Police were contacted in regard to a body that was caught up in some logs near the river — the sea-dock that we’re at,” Evelyn says. “Right now, we are working with the coroner on establishing the identification of the person and then working to contact their family and update them on the situation. It’s never good to speculate on this because you don’t want to create any false hopes — or the opposite, any despair. Whoever it is, is somebody’s family member and we just want to make sure that we get the news to them first.”

While there is speculation regarding the identification of the deceased, no further information was available Thursday morning.

Vernon doctor Michael Mthandazo went missing in the river after swimming on July 30.