(Quebec) The Montreal kayaker who has disappeared into the river since Thursday is a renowned entomologist who has traveled the planet. His loved ones still hope to find him, even though the authorities have halted sea and air searches in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.
Posted at 3:00 p.m.
According to reports, 41-year-old Paul Alexander Banko parked his car on the quayside of Notre-Dame-du-Portage last Thursday. According to witnesses, he then informed Portageois of his intention to go to Île aux Lièvres, which is more than ten kilometers offshore.
“When the Lord left, conditions were not ideal for sea kayaking. It was windy. “People tried to dissuade him,” said the mayor of the municipality, Vincent More, in an interview, who regretted an “immensely sad” situation.
The Montrealer went to the sea. He hasn’t been seen since. According to a good friend, the man did not have a mobile phone, so no call for help was ever made.
“He really liked photographing birds. The place where he went is known for its birdlife, there are also a lot of seals, belugas…” says Pierre-Olivier Ouellet, owner of La Bibitte Mobile, an entomology consultancy company.
Both men are insect lovers. They also co-founded the Quebec Insect Festival. “It was he who introduced me to entomology. That’s what he lived for,” says Mr. Ouellet.
According to him, Paul Alexander Banko is not an experienced kayaker and had just bought his boat. However, he is a seasoned traveler who has traveled the planet. “I think he visited 56 countries,” he says.
exposed to research
Authorities spent days traversing the river and air to no avail. The search involved two ships, four watercraft, a hovercraft, a Hercules aircraft and two helicopters.
Police also went around Hare Island and others without finding a single trace of Mr Banko.
On Tuesday evening, the Coast Guard and the armed forces announced the end of search operations on the water and in the air. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ), in charge of the investigation, made the same decision on Wednesday morning.
“No property belonging to the person sought was found and all possibilities were explored using the tools at our disposal,” said Marie-Ève Caron, spokeswoman for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
The SQ will continue the investigation. The police are hoping for help from the public. “The further we advance in time, the more objects we can find in the east. That’s why we’re asking the people of the Gaspé to keep their eyes open right now,” said Sergeant Claude Doiron.
The chances of finding the kayaker and father of a toddler alive are getting smaller and smaller over time. But his relatives still believe in it. They plan to start their own searches.
“I’m still hoping. It’s not impossible that he drifted. He knows how to cope in the natural environment,” remarks his friend Pierre-Olivier Ouellet.