The Montreal kayaker’s boat, which had been missing in the St. Lawrence River for more than a week, resurfaced on Friday. The 41-year-old is still missing.
Paul Alexander Banko, a renowned entomologist, has traveled part of the planet. He disappeared in the river during an outing on May 18.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) announced on Friday that it had found Mr. Banko’s kayak in the Pointe-au-Père sector, near Rimouski. It is about 130 kilometers downstream from the wharf where the kayaker had made his launch, at Notre-Dame-du-Portage.
Mr Banko was last seen wearing a blue life jacket and an orange coat. The police are asking the public to keep an eye out, especially between Rivière-du-Loup and Rimouski.
“Our police are continuing air, land and nautical searches assisted by the Canadian Coast Guard,” said the SQ in its press release.
Paul Alexander Banko is the father of a toddler. Co-founder of the Quebec Insect Festival, he had just bought his boat, according to Pierre-Olivier Ouellet, owner of Bibitte mobile, an entomology popularization company. He was, however, a seasoned traveller.