SEARCH FOR BOATER ALONG GRAND RIVER, LAKE ERIE

Numerous emergency response units responded to the call when a 74-yearold boater went fishing in the early morning hours of June 16 and didn't return when expected.

The man had left at 4 a.m. and by 5:20 p.m. had not returned, so the Haldimand detachment of the OPP was notified, and the search began. The OPP's marine unit and aviation services, along with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre based out of Trenton, Niagara Regional Police and Canadian Coast Guard searched along the Grand River and Lake Erie near Port Maitland.

Residents in the area reported seeing a low-flying helicopter along the Grand River and a Lockheed CC-130H Hercules plane

flying in circular patterns along the Lake Erie shoreline at Port Maitland in the early hours of June 17.

Lowbanks resident Krystal Murphy reported seeing flares over the water around 11 p.m. the night of June 16.

"My heart breaks," she said. "Ten years living

here, and this is a first, seeing a search and rescue."

Const. Mary Gagliardi with the Haldimand detachment of the OPP wrote in an email, "Victim Services has been engaged with the family members."

No further updates were available as of print deadline Monday morning.