No luck

An hour-long aerial search along the banks of the Kaministiquia River turned up no new evidence on Monday in the search for missing teenager Jordan Wabasse.

Thunder Bay Police Staff Sgt. Don Lewis, who joined the Sudbury-based OPP helicopter pilot on the flight, said the search, delayed several times already due to weather, covered much of the same area ground searchers have already gone over, but they were also able to take a closer look at some inaccessible areas that hadn’t yet been scoured.

“We did an area search from the Bowater mill, downstream to the James Street Bridge, and then continued on to the lake and both sides of the river banks,” Lewis said.

“The results were negative. We didn’t find anything for today’s search.’
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Wabasse, a resident of Webequie First Nation in Thunder Bay for school, went missing two weeks ago. He was last seen getting off a bus in the south side of the city. Police found a hat submerged in the river, which has since been sent for testing, and divers were in the water for a couple of days, but were limited in how far out they could search.

Lewis said it’s a little frustrating not being able to find an answer one way or another.

“It would be nice to find something as to Jordan’s whereabouts. It would definitely put the family’s thoughts at ease. We’ll keep our hopes up,” said Lewis, adding it’s likely the only aerial search that will take place, at least until the ice on the river melts in the coming weeks.
“If the investigation continues on in the coming months, then more consideration will be given to another aerial search once the ice clears away in late spring.”

Lewis couldn’t say how long Thunder Bay Police, who have spearheaded the search, would continue their efforts.

“The search will continue as long as there is information to support further investigation and until all the avenues have been exhausted,” he said.

“That area is fairly close to being exhausted now. We’re just checking on the last few remaining buildings in the area. Once that’s done, we’ll have to explore what are options are from there.”

Answers to how long the search continues could come as soon as the middle of this week, Lewis said.

“We’re waiting for more information to come in and there will be more information from a news conference that I believe is scheduled for Wednesday,” he said. “We’re going to meet with the other police service agencies such as Anishnawbek Police Service and Nishnawbe Aski Police Service and the family and the volunteer group to come up with further strategies we can use.”

One of those who will be consulted is Webequie First Nation Chief Cornelius Wabasse, who is not related to the missing teen, but as worried as any family member would be about the disappearance. Chief Wabasse is not sure how long the search, which had about 50 people mobilized through a temporary command unit set up in a building just off the James Street Bridge on Fort William First Nation land, will continue.

“We haven’t made a decision on that yet, so we will continue our search. We are going to have to at some point discuss what we’re going to do if we don’t find the missing teen,” he said.

Chief Wabasse added searchers are trying to maintain a positive outlook, despite a lack of results. He added the volunteers, many of whom have been at it round the clock since the search began, are getting tired, but more are joining the effort each day, providing much-needed relief.

“The volunteers are being very positive and they are getting energized from the support we are getting from the city,” he said.

Like the police, they’re dealing with a number of incoming tips, rumours and information, doing their best to sort through it to find plausible leads to chase after.