RAINY RIVER, Ont. - An American youth who was reported missing in Quetico Provincial Park after intentionally crossing into Canada from the United States has been safely located.
According to the Ontario Provincial Police, officers with the Rainy River District detachment received a missing person complaint in Quetico Provincial Park late last week.
It was reported a 17-year-old youth from Nebraska was camping near the U.S./Canada border on Basswood Lake in Minnesota with friends. On the morning of July 3, the youth left the group and was reported missing to U.S. authorities. On July 4 he crossed into Canada and the OPP was notified.
Const. Jim Davis with the OPP said it is believed the youth was intending to meet up with friends somewhere in Canada. While he did bring along some supplies, including a map and a compass, it would seem the youth underestimated the extent of the wilderness in the park.
Davis added that ultimately it was probably the bugs that got to the youth and on the morning of July 6, after spending two nights alone in the woods, the youth flagged down a Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry helicopter commissed by the OPP to assist in the search and was rescued.
The youth was not injured and he was returned to Minnesota without incident.
The investigation and search included members of the Northwest Region Emergency Response Team, the MNRF, Ontario Parks, Lake County Sheriff’s Department, St. Louis County Search and Rescue, Canadian Border Services Agency, and Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada.
