VICTORIA -- A search is underway for an experienced kayaker who has gone missing near Sooke.
Langford resident Timothy Ross, 38, was identified as the missing kayaker Monday afternoon.
Residents on the southwest coast are asked to keep an eye out for Ross and his blue river kayak.
Ross is believed to have launched from Ella Beach in Sooke around 12:15 p.m. and was expected to return by 4 p.m. He was reported missing to the Sooke RCMP at 5:42 p.m.
The search began Sunday at approximately 8:30 p.m. and was suspended around 11:30 p.m.
Sooke RCMP say witnesses reported seeing a solo kayaker heading west along the coast toward Port Renfrew Sunday, with the last sighting in the Shirley area.
Members of the Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue team returned to the area Monday.
The RCMP, coast guard and Royal Canadian Air Force have deployed personnel and aircraft to the region.
The search expanded Monday to include the Jordan River and Port Renfrew areas, and the United States Coast Guard is assisting in the search.
Ross is described as a white man standing 5' 8" tall and weighing approximately 170 pounds. He has blue eyes and blonde hair. He was last seen wearing a lack wetsuit with a maroon striped wool toque.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Sooke RCMP at 250-642-5241.
Correction:
An earlier version of this story misidentified the kayaker as Timothy Roth.
