A Family’s Painful Wait: Kenyan Woman Still Missing After Car Plunged Into Canadian River

The family of Benina Jepkoech, a 24-year-old Kenyan from Lemook in Eldoret City, is living every family’s worst nightmare as they continue to wait and hope for answers after she went missing in British Columbia, Canada.
Benina disappeared on May 17, 2026, when the vehicle she was driving left Schubert Drive in Kamloops and plunged into the North Thompson River. While her 21-year-old passenger was rescued by brave bystanders, authorities believe Benina was swept away by the powerful current.
Sadly, despite weeks of search efforts, her body has not been recovered. Rescue operations have been suspended for now because dangerous spring snowmelt has made the river too fast and unsafe for search teams.
Friends describe Benina as a humble, hardworking and kind-hearted young woman who moved to Canada in 2025 with dreams of building a better future. She worked full-time at a hotel in downtown Kamloops and also held a part-time job at an Afrofusion restaurant, where she was loved by colleagues and customers alike.
One of her close friends shared that Benina had only recently started driving in Canada. Coming from Kenya, where motorists drive on the left side of the road, adapting to driving on the right may have been challenging. While the exact cause of the crash remains unknown, the heartbreaking incident is also a reminder of the importance of taking time to fully adjust to different road rules and driving conditions when relocating to a new country.
A memorial service has already been held in her honour, and flowers continue to be placed at the crash site as friends, neighbours and members of the Kenyan community pray that the river will one day return her to her family.
Benina’s loved ones are not asking for miracles, they are simply hoping for the chance to bring their daughter home and give her the dignified farewell she deserves.
May her family find strength during this painful period, and may the ongoing recovery efforts eventually bring them the closure they have been waiting for.
Rest in peace, Benina Jepkoech. May you never be forgotten.