The search for 5-year-old Darius Macdougall, who went missing while on a camping trip with his family, is in its fourth day, but so far there is no sign of the missing Alberta boy.
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Approximately 100 people now involved in search for missing Alberta boy
It’s day four of the search for five-year-old
Darius Macdougall who went missing while on a camping trip with his family near Crowsnest Pass, and still there is no sign of the missing Lethbridge, Alta., boy.
During their daily update on Wednesday, RCMP and search experts provided more details on both the search and how the little boy went missing.
Adam Kennedy, provincial training manager with Search and Rescue Alberta, said the boy was out walking with other family members on Sunday, within a kilometre of their campsite, at Island Lake Campground in soutwestern Alberta, located about 250 km south of Calgary.
“Darius was with six family members, but it’s my understanding they were all young. There were no adults in the group,” said RCMP Cpl. Gina Slaney, noting she couldn’t provide their exact ages.
When the group returned to the family’s campsite, Darius was not with them.
“Our general investigation section is currently on scene and they are doing very detailed interviews with everybody. So hopefully we’ll have a little better of an understanding in the hours to come,” added Slaney.
However, the RCMP have insisted there is no indication that foul play was involved in the boy’s disappearance.
There are now approximately 100 people involved in the search, including multiple search and rescue agencies from both Alberta and British Columbia, conservation officers, fish and wildlife officers, Alberta sheriffs and members of Canada Task Force 2, with other agencies like the Salvation Army on the ground providing support.
Kennedy said the Canadian Armed Forces have also been contacted to determine if they have any assets that might benefit search efforts.
The area has been described as a combination of thick forests, steep alpine terrain and open areas with multiple creeks and river, including some beaver dams and bogs, forcing searchers to work almost shoulder to shoulder to cover the area effectively.
The search for the little boy has been made more challenging because he is autistic.
Slaney confirmed he is able to verbally communicate, but “there are concerns he might not interact well with people calling out his name. If he hears the research and rescue personnel calling his name, he might not answer.”
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