UPDATE: Irene Paquet has been found alive. Her car went off the road into a ditch about 50 kilometres up River Road off the Trans Canada Highway. She was taken to hospital in Nanaimo for treatment. Check back for more information.
The public is being asked to keep their eyes open for Irene Paquet, 67, from Chemainus who hasn't been seen since Thursday, July 28.
Paquet, who moved to the Valley from Ontario four months ago, is believed to have left her home sometime on July 28 in her white, 2010 Hyundai Accent and hasn't been seen since.
Paquet has been volunteering at Cowichan Neighbourhood House in Chemainus for the past two months, and staff there are worried about her.
Arlene Robinson, a spokeswoman for the CNH, said Paquet is not known to go anywhere without letting people know her destination.
She said Paquet is usually in daily contact with her daughter Celeste, and Celeste has not heard from her since July 28.
Robertson also said another daughter was flying in from Ontario over the weekend to visit her mother, and it's “highly unusual” for Paquet not to be in the area to greet her.
Robertson said the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment has been informed of Paquet's disappearance.
“Everyone's really bewildered and the two daughters are very upset,” she said.
“Irene's a real sweetheart and we're all worried about her. We just hope that it's something minor and she'll show up.”
RCMP Cpl. Krista Hobday said there is “no indication” at this time as to where Paquet could be.
She said police have checked Island hospitals and places in her community where she has been known to frequent, to no avail.
“Ms. Paquet is new to the Island and does not venture far from the Chemainus or Duncan areas,” Hobday said.
“She suffers from a medical condition which requires medication that she has left at home.”
Paquet is a white woman, approximately 5 foot 2, weighs 146 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes
Her car has a B.C. licence plate with the number CB998C.
The public is asked to call the police at 250-748-5522 if they have any information regarding Paquet's whereabouts.