The body of a 13-year-old boy was recovered Thursday night, almost 24 hours after the body of his 10-year-old brother was found in Nutimik Lake.
Aaron Au Ramirez, the 13-year-old brother of 10-year-old Maximo Au Ramirez, reportedly dove into the lake trying to save his younger brother, who was swept into the waters, police said. At that point, both boys became caught in the current on July 18.
Staff Sgt. Cory Meyers spoke with the media at the boat launch of Nutimik Campground Thursday afternoon. The campground sits on the shores of Nutimik Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park, where the boys went missing Saturday.
“We’re going through a terrible, horrible and unimaginable pain for our children,” Meyers said, reading a statement on behalf of the boys’ family.
Maximo’s body was spotted by a civilian boat around 300 feet, approximately 91 metres, away from the falls at the lake, Meyers estimated. It was above the water when found by volunteers, and was recovered by the Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team (HEART), he said.
Two RCMP boats, as well as the RCMP drone unit and dive team, were at work looking for the 13-year-old. Non-police organizations including HEART, and around 20 volunteer boats were also searching, he continued.
Allison Baker-Thiessen owns the Nutimik Lodge with her husband, where the boys’ family has been staying.
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“My husband and myself both have had multiple breaking points for sure, but (for) the most part, we’re doing pretty good,” she told 680 CJOB Thursday, adding that she is “pretty amazed with the community and the outpour of support.”
“It has been an abundance of people, and we are very grateful for each and every one of you.”
On Wednesday, when the RCMP confirmed they recovered Maximo’s body, she said it offered “a little bit of closure,” but said the parents are “emotionally wrecked.”
“I just want people to understand that the support isn’t just today or tomorrow or yesterday. The support that this family is going to need is going be years, years and years. This is something that they will never, ever forget.”
Manitoba’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Mike Moyes said the province is working “really quickly” to add new safeguards around the lake.
“There was a site assessment done by the director of parks, that took place a couple of days ago,” he told Global News in an interview.
“So, we’re looking to move really quickly on making improvements to the safety of the area and ensuring that, as best (as) we can, we can mitigate the risk to Manitobans.”
He said the area was surveyed. Now the department will consider changes to make the area safer.
The director will present their findings to him on Monday.
“There’s a variety of things of things that I would imagine would be in there, and there’s some things that have been discussed at a preliminary stage. That includes upgrading the signage. That includes fencing and some other safety precautions. So, we’re going to look at all (the) different options,” Moyes said.
Following past instances of drownings in the area, additional signs were put up, he added.
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