Search continues for child reported seen entering Thames River

It was all hands on deck Friday as the search continued for a missing child reported to have fallen into the Thames River near Kipps Lane and Adelaide Street North Thursday afternoon.

 “For us at all times, this is a constant search, our ultimate goal is to locate this missing child,” exclaimed London Police Media Relations Officer Const. Matt Dawson. “Until such a time where that child is located this is a search effort. We will ensure that we put all of the resources and all of the combined resources that you’ve seen here today in the water, to bring this to resolution,” he added.

It was rare sight Friday morning, as an OPP search helicopter hovered low over the river near the Adelaide Street North Bridge. In the water below, OPP and London Fire Department watercraft along with local search and rescue units navigated slowly up and down the river in both directions.

Several search and rescue unit firefighters waded through the river slowly, at times in chest-deep water. They stopped to check rocks, overhanging branches, and debris along the banks of the river.

Up above, London Police officers kept watch from the bridge, keeping a search light at the ready.

Emergency crews originally responded to the Kipps Lane area around 3:00 Thursday afternoon for a report of a missing child. A search got underway immediately. Crews scoured the river until suspending the water portion of the search effort at darkness. They re-entered the fast-flowing waters around 9:00 Friday morning as a steady rain fell, causing the river to swell even more.

The child is reported to have fallen into the river at the back of a highrise apartment on Kipps Lane.

The water would have been much higher at that point, as the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority closed the dam at Fanshawe Lake Thursday to aid searchers.

Neighbour Alan Lieknins has lived in the area all his life. He said that the water swirls and the river changes directions at the point where the child entered.

 “At this point here, it’s very dangerous, it’s very deep, it’s very unpredictable. There’s a lot of root and debris at the bottom of the river,” Lieknins explained.

A number of volunteer searchers have also been involved in trying to locate the missing child. Const. Matt Dawson stresses the public needs to stay clear of the river. “We understand that the public want to be a part and want to help locate this child. We are asking that the public do stay away from the river. Again, we’ve had more rain this morning. All of the safety personnel that are out here today have all the proper safety equipment,” he said.

He added that the child’s family is receiving support at this time.

“We are in constant communication with the family, and we are ensuring that they are provided with the resources necessary to be able to deal with such a tragic event,” he said.