Police request help from OPP as search for missing teen continues

The Thunder Bay Police Service has requested the help of the OPP’s underwater recovery team in their search for missing 15-year-old Jordan Wabasse.

Insp. Andy Hay said the investigation is focused on an area near the Kaministiquia River south of James and Gore Streets.

“A volunteer search party noticed evidence that would indicate that somebody may have wandered out onto the ice towards the open water,” he said Monday afternoon. “This is an ongoing investigation, so we can’t release everything but there’s enough evidence there to suggest there is a good possibility that somebody has gone into the water there and unfortunately we suspect it may have been Jordan Wabasse.”

Wabasse was last seen leaving a city bus near Holt Place around 10 p.m. Feb. 7. He is described as Aboriginal with straight black hair, six-foot-one, about 200 pounds and was last spotted wearing a dark grey jacket with a purple hood, a backwards Toronto Maple Leafs cap, black pants and white Adidas shoes.

Webequie First Nation chief and council issued a statement Monday on behalf of Wabasse’s family expressing their appreciation for the assistance provided by the City of Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Police Service, Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police and volunteers.

“The family is also very grateful to all of the organizations, communities and Jordan’s hockey team the Current River Comets, who have provided financial support in the search effort. The parents are very hopeful that the massive search will result in a positive outcome and will find Jordan alive and well,” the statement read.

A contingency of about 100 volunteers has set up a command centre at the Travelodge-Airlane. Anyone with any information on Wabasse is asked to contact the Thunder Bay police at 684-1200.