Their 21-foot aluminum commuter boat was found adrift sometime Saturday near Anvil Island; the unidentified person who found it investigated and discovered the keys were still in the ignition and the motor in the water; however, there was no one there.
The boat left from the Lion’s Bay Marina and the pair were on their way to a family cabin on Gambier Island The Vancouver Sun report calling the home of dentist William Liebenberg Sunday; a person answering confirmed to them that Dr. Liebenberg is the man who is missing.
His daughter’s name was Maddy.
Anvil Island is alongside Gambier Island and off the coast of the Sea to Sky Highway. The timeline of events is not yet clear but it appears that it was not until after the boat was found that the girl’s body was found. One report listed the deceased girl as six, another as seven.
The RCMP and Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) are conducting a search for the missing man and it includes a land search. The RCMP said there does not appear to have been any foul play but indicated nothing is being ruled out this early.
Naval Lt. Paul Trenholm of the JRCC said their search is wide-ranging but there is a main focus area.
“We’ve begun a search throughout the entire east side of Howe sound,” Lt. Trenholm said. “The high probability zone, of course, began where we found the boat adrift.”
As of Monday morning the search for William Liebenberg has been suspended, the JRCC said.