RCMP conducting search of Bow and South Saskatchewan rivers

September 29, 2015. Today and tomorrow the Alberta RCMP Missing Persons and Unidentified
Remains Unit will be conducting an aerial sweep of the Bow and Saskatchewan rivers, south of Calgary. The RCMP is coordinating its operation with a similar process being undertaken by the Calgary Police Service within the City of Calgary and with the Lethbridge and Medicine Hat city police services in the areas of the rivers that flow through those jurisdictions. The RCMP helicopter will fly along the Bow River from the southern limit of Calgary to the Saskatchewan border. It will also fly over the Oldman River to and including Lethbridge.

While this effort is not directed at any particular missing persons’ investigation, there are currently 27 missing persons who have been reported to RCMP, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat detachments located in communities along the Bow and Oldman River. Two of them are known to have entered the river and have never been located. Calgary Police Service currently has several ongoing investigations in which the missing person is believed to have entered the Bow River, which flows down into the South Saskatchewan River. If the fly-over search reveals anything of interest, the Calgary Fire Department aquatic rescue divers with members of CPS will be deployed to investigate further. The operation is taking place now as the water levels of the Bow and South Saskatchewan Rivers are at their lowest and clearest at this time of year.