RCMP, volunteers expand search for 7-year-old at Echo Lake

The RCMP recovery effort for missing seven-year-old Greagan Geldenhuys continues into its fifth day by land, water and air at Echo Lake and the surrounding area.

The little boy and his mother Tamaine Geldenhuys were last seen at B-Say-Tah beach on Echo Lake around 4:30 p.m. Friday. Tamaine’s body washed up three kilometres away on the beach near the Fort Qu’Appelle campground on Saturday.

Greagan Geldenhuys, 7, was last seen with his mother on B-Say-Tah Beach at Echo Lake Friday, Aug. 24, 2018. (Family/Facebook Finding Greagan)

RCMP officers from three provinces have now joined the search, with Manitoba sending additional divers to help the underwater recovery team and Alberta sending a helicopter to join the aerial search.

Greagan’s family members have been co-ordinating volunteer search efforts from a makeshift command centre at 234 Boundary Avenue in Fort Qu’Appelle.

A Facebook page run by relatives called Finding Greagan is providing daily updates on the volunteer side of the search.

An initial post attributed to the family said they believe Tamaine died in a swimming accident, but urged people to not give up hope of finding Greagan. Another post written late Monday night thanked people for their efforts and begged them to not give up hope.

“Please do not give up hope! At this point, we just want him found — we are utterly exhausted. To all who are helping in the search and helping to fuel our family and volunteers: thank you. Love: Greagans brother and sisters.”

Greagan Geldenhuys pictured with his brother and sisters. (Facebook/Finding Greagan)

More than 80 volunteers, local businesses and volunteers from nearby Standing Buffalo First Nation have contributed to and supported the search efforts.

The page announced Wednesday morning the addition of a hovercraft to the search efforts. They were also trying to organize an extensive search of Echo Lake using sonar from fishing boats.