Police provide update on search for youth missing during floods

Yesterday, at approximately 10:35 a.m., the Nova Scotia RCMP recovered the body of a youth along the shore of Advocate Harbour.

“We’re working with the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service to positively identify the remains,” says Superintendent Sean Auld, the Nova Scotia RCMP’s Support Services Officer. “At this time, we believe they’re those of the youth who was unaccounted for following extreme flood conditions in West Hants.”

On July 22, a man, two children, and a youth were reported missing after the vehicles they were travelling in were caught in floods in the Brooklyn area. On July 24, the remains of a 52-year-old Brooklyn man and one child were located. On July 25, the remains of the second child were found.

“No family should ever face this kind of tragedy,” says Supt. Auld. “And no words can describe the true sympathy we feel for each of them.”

On July 31, the search for the missing youth was temporarily suspended to allow the remaining water in the search area to drain. At the time, search crews had covered more than 495 acres of ground, 104 square kilometres of watershed and tidal waters, and 417 square kilometres of shoreline by air.

The search has been led by the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association, with personnel from West Hants, Valley, Halifax, Colchester, East Hants, Eastern Shore, Sheet Harbour, Clare, Digby, Strait Area, Pictou, Musquodoboit, and Annapolis County. On water search has been supported by Brooklyn Fire Department and numerous other fire departments. Also engaged throughout the search have been the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, Nova Scotia Public Safety and Field Communications, Emergency Health Services, Civilian Air Search and Rescue Association, Office of Fire Marshall Critical Incident Stress Management Team, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, RCMP Police Dog Services, RCMP Air Services, West Hants District RCMP, civilian contractors, and other partners.

“For each of the nine days of the search, team members worked through challenging conditions, always with the families and the community at the forefront of their thoughts,” said Supt. Auld. “I have the deepest respect for their resolve to reunite the missing with their families.”‘

Source: Release