Shilanne Stedmances told her family she loved them before she left her home at 8.30pm on Monday. Photo / via Facebook
Shilanne Stedmances told her family she loved them before she left her home at 8.30pm on Monday. Photo / via Facebook
A desperate search is underway for a young New Zealand woman who vanished from her family home three days ago on a remote Canadian Island.
Shilanne Stedmances, 22, who currently lives on Bowen Island, told her family she loved them before she left her home at 8.30pm on Monday (5.30pm Tuesday NZST), according to a press release from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
It is unknown where Stedmances went after she fled and her mobile phone and wallet were left behind, the release said.
It also said this behaviour is "out of character" for Stedmances.
Stedmances has dual citizenship, but lives in Canada with her mother, Daily Mail Australia reports.
A friend of the missing woman, Rachel Sinclair, told the publication that Stedmances lived in New Zealand for a few years, but returned to Bowen Island in 2017.
Sinclair said friends and family are extremely concerned about her being missing as she has been battling mental health problems.
"She is not herself right now, she is not in a stable place, she's not in her correct mindset," Sinclair said.
"It is extremely heartbreaking for us all whom are close with her and have watched her struggle."
A desperate search is underway for a young New Zealand woman who vanished from her family home three days ago on a remote Canadian Island. Photo / Facebook
Stedmances is described as five feet, two inches tall (1.57m), with brown hair and blue eyes.
She was last seen wearing a black long sleeved T-shirt and black pants.
Island RCMP, North Shore Search and Rescue, Marine Search and Rescue, RCMP Marine, Air 1 Services, and the Bowen Island Fire Department were involved in the search.
The Georgia Straight also reported Stedmances has connections in West and North Vancouver.
Bowen Island is just a 20-minute ferry trip to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver.
At 6pm local time on Thursday (3pm Friday NZST), RCMP announced the land search for Stedmances had been called off and police would focus their search on a specific area tomorrow with divers and boats.
Shilanne Stedmances (with blonde hair) told her family she loved them moments before she fled her home without her cellphone or wallet. Photo / Facebook
"Please please help find this angel," Sinclair wrote on Facebook.
"We all miss you shi and we need your bright vibrant soul in this world! Please be found safe. Any help is much appreciated in locating where she is. Please pray for her safe return."
A spokeswoman for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the Daily Mail Australia they were aware of the case and are in touch with local authorities.
