Dad, daughter missing after going through ice in northern Ontario

Article content

OPP in northern Ontario were searching for a father and daughter who went missing on the ice in the Temiskaming Shores area.

The North East Region of the OPP posted on social media Sunday that they were conducting an investigation in the area of Pete Dam’s Park, about an hour south of Kirkland Lake. They added there is no threat to public safety but did not elaborate.

However, in a Facebook post Sunday shared by Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus, a woman said the police were looking for a man and one of his twin daughters, identified by family members as Christian Bergeron and Maya Bergeron.

“Earlier today my sister’s fiance and one of his twin daughters went thru the ice at Pete’s Dam. Please keep my sister and kids in your thoughts as we hope for their safe recovery while preparing for the worst,” Amanda Rickard wrote.

In a post on Monday, Rickard thanked people for their messages of support, adding, “The helicopters and underwater recovery team started searching again at 8am. No further updates at this time.”

Early Monday night, Rickard shared her latest.

“We were able to visit the site today and hung 2 stars for Chris and Maya,” she wrote on Facebook, saying there had been no recovery, or updates on the search efforts.

“We are in the process of setting up a GoFundMe to help my sister and her family with costs and a vigil for our families as we believe the love and support of our communities is what help us all get thru this incredibly tragic event.”

A vigil group organized by Rickard on Facebook later Monday night said a candle-lighting would be held on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Cenotaph in New Liskeard.

“We will be lighting candles and celebrating the memory of Chris and Maya who tragically went through the ice,” the Facebook post reads.

Angus called it “a really heartbreaking tragedy” and urged people to be cautious around water.

“Please stay off the ice. It’s not solid. I have watched too many people go out on the ice as the temperatures have risen,” he wrote.