There were seven Kimberley Search and Rescue members involved in the tragic accident in Creston last week, where a Nelson SAR member lost her life in the Goat River.

Peter Reid, president of Kimberley Search and Rescue said there were two Kimberley personnel on the scene of the actual accident and five members of the Kimberley team involved in the recovery of the body of their colleague, Sheilah Sweatman, 29, of Ymir.

Reid says it will take time to deal with the incident, and some team members are still in shock.

"Two were right there," he said. "We've brought in a provincial Critical Incident Stress Team, who will do peer counselling and one on one counselling. Work Safe BC will also provide counselling should it be needed."

Work Safe was on the scene of the recovery Sweatman's body.

The entire Kimberley team was scheduled for a debriefing on Monday evening.

The victim fell overboard from a swift water craft while trying to find the occupant of a submerged vehicle found in the Goat River.

"The water was high, but not as high as it could have been," Reid said. "But it was certainly fast moving. It was just a conspiracy of events that occurred. One thing went wrong, then another, then a third. That's why they call it an accident."

Reid says all Search and Rescue members across the province are grieving, and for those actually involved in the accident and recovery, it will be tough.

"There are two phases," he said. "First it was operational, just get the job done no matter what, but after that you might see some concerns."

The SAR members can be expected to go through the typical stages of grief.

"It is a trauma. They are in shock and it will be a while for some of them. But we are a tight knit, well qualified, well trained group. This event has brought them closer."

No funeral arrangements have yet been announced, but Reid says the entire Kimberley contingent will attend whenever they are scheduled. He says he assumes it will be much like the services for the Sullivan Mine disaster, with emergency teams from across the province and beyond attending.

In the meantime, the search continues for the occupant of the submerged car, whose body has not yet been found.

"The RCMP will make the decision about when to go back and search," Reid said. "But we have a duty of care."

However, those involved in the first accident will not be asked to go back in.

"It would be another team," he said. "Creston will do another mutual aid call. We would not expose our members again. It was important for them to finish the first recovery for their own emotional well being."

The search for the other victim will be a less technical one, he said, involving walking the river banks.

In the meantime, the healing and counselling begins for the Kimberley team.

"Everyone will heal at their own time. It's very individual. Some of our members are already moving on, others will need some time. We will keep a close eye on everyone involved, looking for stressors. Members won't be put back in operationally until we know they are ready."

Also involved with Kimberley in the accident and recovery were the teams from Nelson, which had the lead, Creston, which put out mutual aid call, Penticton and one member from Osoyoos Oliver.