Search for Canadian soldier turns into recovery mission, friends remain hopeful

WINNIPEG – Hope has faded among friends and colleagues at the 17 Wing in Winnipeg as the recovery mission continues for Sergeant Mark Salesse.

“To say there is hope would be erroneous,” said Capt. Bettina McCulloch-Drake at the 17 Wing.

McCulloch-Drake said the search conditions aren’t favourable and the Wing is now shifting their focus to offering support to the soldier’s loved ones.

“We don’t ever wish that there would be a case like this where one of our search and rescue technicians would be subject of a search,” said McCulloch-Drake.

Salesse is a familiar face at the ice tower in St. Boniface where he occasionally trains and helps the club with maintenance.

“I’ve climbed with Mark here as he comes here to do some of his training, he’s a very nice and amicable guy,” said Paul Hrynkow, member of the club. “He’s willing to help out wherever he can, a lot of fun to climb with.”

Hrynkow also said that Salesse is a supreme climber and physically very strong. Qualities also noted by former colleagues in BC.

“Mark had a huge physical presence but he was the sort of guy who everyone immediately liked, he’s very quiet, absolutely humble and modest,” Paul Berry at Comox Valley Search and Rescue told Global News in a phone interview.

“We understand the circumstances that he’s in, but we think if anyone can make it through, Mark can do it,” said Berry.

Officials with Parks Canada say the recovery mission will continue.