Emergency crews in Calgary are joining forces to locate missing people through ground and aerial searches along the Bow River starting Saturday.
The search begins at 9 a.m. at the Fish Creek Provincial Park boat launch in the south.
The Calgary Police Service, Calgary Fire Department, RCMP, Calgary Search and Rescue Association, Cochrane Fire Services, Alberta Forestry and Parks, and Community Safety Peace Officers are collaborating to search the Bow River.
Police say they will use HAWCS helicopter and remotely piloted aircraft systems to conduct an aerial search. Ground and water searches of the Bow River and surrounding banks will be carried out by everyone else, including police.
The RCMP and Alberta Forestry and Parks are expected to assist with searches outside Calgary’s city limits.
While officers and firefighters regularly monitor the river throughout the year, water conditions are ideal for this type of work right now as the river is at its lowest and clearest, according to police.
So far this year, 3,572 people have been reported missing in Calgary. Police say most of them have been located, but 0.17 per cent remain unaccounted for.
“Unfortunately, it is a tragic reality that some of our outstanding missing persons may have entered our city’s waterway,” said Sgt. Amy George of the CPS Missing Persons Team in a news release.
“As a police service, we have incredibly skilled investigators and searchers, and we are committed to using our resources to find answers for a missing person’s family.”
Police say if the weather isn’t ideal for an aerial search, ground and water search efforts will continue.
They add if any remains are found in or outside of city limits, partners will work with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to identify the individual and “ensure no criminal offence has been committed.”