Northern Alberta search and rescue crews looking for missing canoer
RCMP officers are searching the Athabasca River in northeast Alberta for a missing canoer last seen around 12:15 p.m. on Saturday.
According to Mounties, a group of six canoers and a kayaker were on the Ells River, north of Fort MacKay, Alta., and near Daphne Island, for around an hour when the group lost sight of a pair of canoers together in a red 16-foot canoe.
Wood Buffalo RCMP conducted a boat and aerial search with the assistance of Fort McMurray Search and Rescue, Fort McMurray EMS, the Helicopter Emergency Response Organization (HERO), and Syncrude Search and Rescue. Area community members completed additional ground searches.
At 4:15 p.m., searchers located the over-turned red canoe and the body of one of the missing boaters, an 80-year-old man, police said.
The search continues for the other canoer, a 45-year-old man. Both of the boaters in the red canoe were from Fort McMurray.
"Search efforts are continuing with the support of Civil Air Search and Rescue (CASARA) from Edmonton and the RCMP Air Service to search for the other missing boater," police said in a statement Monday.
According to Cst. Patrick Lambert, the search area has been expanded by 100 kilometres and now includes sections of the Athabasca River due to the current and higher river levels.
Police are asking anyone on the river to make room for search teams and be aware of any signs of the missing boater, who was wearing an orange personal floatation device.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Wood Buffalo RCMP at 780-788-4040 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Tips can also be submitted online.
Fort MacKay is approximately 54 kilometres north of Fort McMurray.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal doctors' breakthrough discovery about causes of cerebral palsy giving hope
A breakthrough discovery made by doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital about the causes of cerebral palsy is giving new hope to one West Island family.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
For years she thought her son had died of an overdose. The police video changed all that
Austin Hunter Turner died in 2017, on a night that his mother has rewound and replayed again and again, trying to make sense of what happened.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Why Kim Kardashian is being sued for 'knockoff' furniture
The estate of minimalist contemporary artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit against Kardashian this week, claiming the fashion and beauty mogul promoted 'cheap knockoffs' of his furniture designs.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.