Searchers are continuing their efforts to find a five-year-old boy who disappeared over the weekend near a southern Alberta playground.
RCMP says Darius Macdougall was last seen walking with his family south of Crowsnest Pass, near Island Lake Provincial Recreation Area’s campground.
On Monday afternoon, officials said the search will continue overnight.
“We have several dozen volunteer search and rescue members out in the field, working day and night with dogs, drones and on foot, and from all over Alberta and British Columbia,” said Peter Alfred with Search and Rescue Alberta.
Macdougall and his siblings went out for a walk a short distance from their campsite, Alfred said. When the siblings returned to the campsite, he was not with them, he said.
Macdougall is described as being four feet tall with short brown hair. He was last seen wearing a blue-grey hoodie and sweatpants. Police say the boy is autistic.
“The weather is in our favour,” said Alfred. “The young man does not suffer from any health issues. There is no reason to believe that there will not be a positive outcome.”
RCMP added that offers of assistance from community members were appreciated, but said that it would interfere with the processes in place and could contaminate the area.
“We just want to make sure we keep our site as sanitary as we can, with the best hopes to find this little guy,” said Sgt. Mark Amatto with Crowsnest Pass RCMP.
