NATASHQUAN, Qc _ The Sûreté du Québec recovered an inanimate body Sunday noon in the Natashquan River, on the North Shore. It would in all likelihood be the young Montrealer missing since last Friday evening.
Searches had been underway in Natashquan since 5:30 p.m. Friday, after a 22-year-old ventured into the river in an attempt to retrieve a drifting canoe. The victim unfortunately sank in the water.
On Sunday, SQ spokesman Louis-Philippe Bibeau confirmed that it seems that the body recovered is that of the missing person.
According to an account reported last Friday, the 22-year-old was with two other people on the banks of the river when their boat was swept away by the current. The victim would then have tried to hold back the boat, but would have been carried away in turn.
The young man was not wearing a life jacket when jumping into the water. One of his companions would have tried to rescue him, but had to turn back to avoid suffering the same fate.
Searches were carried out by boat, then by helicopter, and finally divers were mobilized.