Emergency crews are searching for a man who fell into the North Saskatchewan River over the weekend.
On Sunday, at about 3:30 p.m., Devon RCMP received reports of a person struggling in the river. That person was later identified as 20-year-old Austin Laporte, a resident of Beaumont.
The RCMP, along with fire departments from Devon, Parkland, and Edmonton, have deployed multiple boats and drones to survey the river but have yet to locate Laporte.
Due to the nature of the situation, the search has expanded into the city of Edmonton. As emergency crews continue to search, people are asked to report any suspicious activity seen in the river valley.
Laporte is described as:
- 5'8"
- 190 lbs
- Brown hair
- Brown eyes
- Last seen wearing black shorts and no shirt
This is the second incident this year involving a person missing in the North Saskatchewan River. Last month a 14-year-old boy was swept up by the river in Edmonton and his remains were recovered near Smoky Lake.
Plans are in place to alert Fort Saskatchewan and Strathcona County crews if needed.
Anybody with information on Laporte's location are asked to contact the Parkland RCMP at 825-220-7267.