While the official RCMP search is over for an young Edmonton man presumed drowned in the North Saskatchewan River, groups are still searching.
“The active, full-scale, 24-7 search has been called off. But there are other things going on. It’s just kind of settled down a bit,” said Rocky Mountain House RCMP Cpl. Mark Burnell on Wednesday.
Jeremy Der, in his early 20s, was with a friend on July 20 when he was caught in an undertow and was swept away, downstream from the Big Horn Dam west of Nordegg. Friends are posting their prayers for the family on Emery Huynh’s Facebook page, who is Der’s brother.
Burnell said on Wednesday, Alberta Sustainable Resources searched about 60 km of the river by helicopter, from Saunders Provincial Recreation Area to the dam.
Civil Air Search and Rescue Association are still flying. Alberta Fish and Wildlife will be keeping an eye out while on patrol in their jet boat.
Many of Der’s family are continuing to search and are determined to find him.
The day after Der disappeared, the water temperature in the river was -10 C. Der’s friend, who tried to save him, was rescued from a rockbar by helicopter and was suffering from hypothermia.
According to the medical examiner, at that temperature, it could take three weeks to a month for a body to surface, Burnell said.
The river flow remains strong, and it may be due to the weather, but fewer people are on the river this summer, he said.
“I would normally go out and canoe or kayak in the river, but I’ve been kind of cautious this year because the water’s been higher and it’s been picking up a lot of junk off the shores.”
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com