Police search continues for missing 30-year-old woman in Ottawa River

Police are still looking for a woman in the Ottawa River near Pembroke after more than a day missing.

“This is still an ongoing search and we cannot make any assumptions,” Bill Dickson, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) media relations officer, told CityNews.

On Tuesday evening, two people went out in a tandem kayak near the Highway 148 bridge and Allumette Island, near Pembroke. After encountering rapids near the inter-provincial bridge, the vessel capsized just before 5 a.m. on Wednesday. According to officials, neither person was wearing a personal floatation device.

A nearby resident of the area heard calls for help. That’s when emergency crews responded.

A 34-year-old man was rescued but a 30-year-old woman remains missing.

OPP say the river has cooperated remaining calm throughout the investigation. However, on Wednesday morning, OPP’s aviation team could not be deployed due to heavy fog in the area.

“The divers from our Underwater Search and Recovery Unit will be back in the water again today,” Dickson said.

The search continues with assistance from OPP’s Emergency Response Team, OPP Aviation Services Unit, OPP Marine Units, Canine Unit and Underwater Search and Recovery Unit. The Sûreté du Québec continues to assist with a marine unit, aviation unit and ground searchers.

This is a developing story.