Man missing on Lake Nipissing Update

OPP News Release

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West Nipissing - On February 10th, 2008 at approximately 11:30 am, O.P.P. officers from the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit with the assistance of the West Nipissing Fire Department recovered the body of a missing 79 year old man. The body was recovered from Lake Nipissing near the French River in an area known as Gibaltar pass. Investigation into the incident is continuing and the name of the deceased person is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The OPP would like to stress that this has been a mild winter with above average precipitation, much of it falling as rain. This has resulted in thin or no ice in many areas that are traditionally frozen this time of year. Extreme caution is warranted on all waterways.

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West Nipissing - On February 8th Provincial Police received a report of a missing 79 year old man on Lake Nipissing near the French River. The man failed to return home from a day long ice fishing trip. A search was conducted by snowmobile and helicopter and around noon on February 9th a helmet was located floating in open water by Gibraltar Pass.

The search will resume tomorrow with snowmobiles, an air boat from the West Nipissing Fire Department and officers from the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit out of OPP General Headquarters in Orillia.

The OPP would like to stress that this has been a mild winter with above average precipitation, much of it falling as rain. This has resulted in thin or no ice in many areas that are traditionally frozen this time of year. Extreme caution is warranted on all waterways.

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