Water search

Police are continuing to search the shoreline of Lake Superior for a missing 32-year-old-man.

Thunder Bay OPP officers along with Thunder Bay Fire Rescue, Shuniah Fire and Emergency Services and the Canadian Coast Guard responded to reports of two missing people near Silver Harbour Conservation Area.

Both the man and a woman disappeared in the water around 5:30 p.m. The woman was later located and taken to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

Thunder Bay OPP Sgt. David Moscall said police will continue to search the waters until the sun goes down. He said someone passing by was the one who helped the woman get back to shore and added that paramedics were later able to revive her.

“We’re starting to lose the light and we’ve been working steady since this happened,” he said. “All our resources have been thrown at this right away. This is a popular spot. The challenge today for everyone is fighting the surf. At this point it is still a rescue mission.”
Moscall described the missing 32-year-old as being about six-feet-tall and around 180 pounds.

He added that they would like people to stay away from the scene while officers’ conduct their investigation.

Police are also conducting a second search for a missing man near Silver Falls Provincial Park by the Kaministiquia River. Moscall said they received the report around 7:30 p.m. Another marine unit is currently in the water searching for a man.

Many people were at Silver Harbour when emergency services arrived at the scene.

Laura Rakowski, her two daughters and a friend and his son were in the area having a picnic police, fire and paramedics arrived to begin their search.

Rakowski said two people, who were on seadoos, brought the woman to shore. Paramedics took over and tried to revive her. Shesaid they rushed her into the ambulance and police continued their search for the missing man.

“There was no response,” she said recalling the moment when the woman was pulled from the water.

“The children were saying she was blue. I was sitting at a picnic table while the children were at the dock when they happened to pull her in. From what I saw, there was no response when they lifted up onto the stretcher. Her arm was just flopping to her side. I wish her the best and I hope they’re able to find her friend.”

Police say more information about both incidents will be provided throughout the weekend.