Recovery efforts underway for 3-year-old-boy swept away into Grand River

Nancekivell, spokesman for OPP’s Dufferin detachment, told Global News that the van was driving southbound down 10th Line and failed to stop at the road closure that had been in place. Nancekivell said the woman drove into heavy water and when she tried to back up, the van was swept into the Grand River.Nancekivell said the woman was able to pull the young boy from the car after it went into the river, but she lost her grip and the boy was swept downstream.The woman managed to get herself out and onto the side of the river but Nancekivell said the van travelled seven kilometres downriver and got stuck in silt.Officials said they have divers, a helicopter and ground personnel searching for the boy.Grand Valley District Fire Chief Kevin McNeilly said the search is now considered a recovery operation rather than a rescue effort.READ MORE : Grand River watershed flooding causes several road closuresNancekivell said the woman, who lives in the area, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment of hypothermia.It is unclear at this time why the woman drove through the road closures.READ MORE : Brantford, Ont., remains under state of emergency due to flooding riskEmergency crews battled fast-moving waters and ice floes as the entire Grand River watershed was placed under a flood warning earlier this week.County Road 109 was closed from County Road 25 to Trafalgar Road due to the investigation.WATCH: Aerial footage shows continuing search for missing three-year-old boy Days of mild temperatures and heavy rains have caused an ice jam in the Grand River to break free, causing water levels to rise.Nearly 100 kilometres away, the city of Brantford, Ont., declared a state of emergency and evacuated people from homes and businesses in certain neighbourhoods due to the flooding.—With files from the Canadian Press