Search Mission For Missing Divers In Welland River Becomes One Of Recovery
Posted September 17, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Toronto-area teacher is among two G.T.A. men who are presumed to have drowned after an ill-fated recreational diving expedition in the Welland River near Niagara Falls. The two missing men were part of a team of five experienced divers who entered the water at Kingsbridge Park at around 9am Sunday. They soon became separated from the rest of the group, and despite extensive searches by the Niagara Marine Unit, they haven’t been seen since.
Both are now presumed dead, transforming a once-hopeful rescue mission into a grim recovery job after nearly two unsuccessful days of combing the murky water.
“Divers are going to work as long as they possibly can I’m sure to make that recovery happen,” said Niagara Regional Police Const. Sal Basilone.
The two divers have been identified as Mike Ford, a father and teacher from Etobicoke, and Perry Clelland a father from Brampton.
The trouble apparently began after Ontario Power Generation conducted an operation that caused extreme changes in the water current.
Two of the five men surfaced and made it to shore, while another was rescued from the water. CityNews spoke to one of the survivors.
“I’m just in disbelief and shock,” said Ed, who didn’t want his last name used. I thought they just ran out of air and surfaced along the shoreline, but they weren’t quite as lucky.”
The Marine Unit is planning to continue combing the waters until Monday night. It’s still not clear whether the search will continue on Tuesday.
