No new information in Dylan Ehler search, despite excellent visibility for divers
Posted May 15, 2020 06:38:20 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Truro Police Service say there is no new information to report in the search for Dylan Ehler.
The 3-year-old went missing on May 6 at around 1:20 p.m. from his grandmother's yard in the area of Queen and Elizabeth streets.
That night, firefighters found one of the boy's rubber boots in Lepper Brook close to Queen Street, and the second in the brook near where it spills into the Salmon River.
On Wednesday, officials attached radio frequency equipment to a mannequin, which was the approximate height and weight of the boy, and launched it into Lepper Brook.
As a result of the gathered data, a provincial dive team, along with Truro Fire Service and ground search and rescue crews from Colchester East Hants and Halifax spent Friday searching the Salmon River from the Walker Street bridge past Stanfields Ltd.
Truro Police say the water was deep in places, but the visibility was excellent. Because it was so clear, the side scan sonar wasn't needed.
“Unfortunately, this search did not result in any new information,” said police in a news release.
There are currently no active searches planned over the weekend, unless there are new developments.
Officials continue to ask people to not participate in any unauthorized searches.
Earlier this week, police chief Dave MacNeil said he knows people are trying to be helpful, but these are dangerous areas.
“This is difficult for trained professionals to do safely with the proper equipment and training, so for a civilian to do it with limited-to-no training or experience in open water or white water, it's extremely dangerous,” he said.
“We don't want to see anybody injured and in need of rescue themselves,” MacNeil added.
In addition, a lot of the land along the river is privately owned and amateur searchers who go onto those properties without permission would be trespassing, and the state of emergency currently limits group gatherings to a maximum of five and social distancing is still a requirement.
Anyone with information that will lead to the recovery of Dylan is asked to call Truro Police at 902-895-5351.
