(Dolbeau-Mistassini) The search for a 4-year-old girl who fell into the waters of the Mistassibi River on Friday, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, was suspended on Sunday evening for safety reasons.
Search operations will resume Monday morning, assured Sergeant Hugues Beaulieu, a spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).
On Sunday, divers and several police officers were again at work on each bank to try to locate the little girl.
“Today, we have the support of a drone instead of a helicopter which can do rapid research on points less accessible to walkers,” Mr. Beaulieu said.
He explained that the work of divers is complex from a safety point of view. A crane was needed to lower the divers’ boat onto the water by carrying it over the railing. The divers are then placed in the boat in the same way with the crane. In addition to the winter context, this operation is complex and delays the research, explained Mr. Beaulieu.
On Friday, emergency services were called to the place where the little girl was sliding with her mother, in Dolbeau-Mistassini, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, when the tragedy occurred around 2:30 p.m. , near a hiking trail located near Route 169.
It was at this point that the child was unable to stop his course, to pass through the mesh of a guardrail installed along the bank.
PHOTO GIMMY DESBIENS, LE DAILY
“What we understand from the event is that the little girl was with her mother and she was sliding near the river. Despite the railing with the mesh, she nevertheless passed through and ended up in the water,” explained Mr. Beaulieu earlier.
The latter did not want to comment on the chances of finding the little girl alive.