The search operation, which took place Wednesday afternoon and throughout the day Thursday in the Grande-Digue region of New Brunswick, was halted by nightfall Thursday. The RCMP has not yet indicated whether it plans to continue the search on Friday.
The RCMP reminds that Daniel Robichaud was last seen on the waterfront along Martin Street in Grande-Digue around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
It is believed that Daniel Robichaud was on the ice on Shediac Island and in the Grande-Digue region. He never came home, police said.
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The RCMP released a photo Thursday of Daniel Robichaud, who has been missing in Grande-Digue since Wednesday evening.
Photo: Courtesy
His family is worried about him, they add.
Daniel Robichaud is 173 cm tall and weighs around 75 kg. He has light brown eyes and gray hair. He has a gray and well-trimmed beard. He was last seen wearing an orange winter coat and black snow pants, as well as protective gear including hockey shin pads, white hockey shoulder pads and a black hockey helmet.
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Daniel Robichaud went ice windsurfing in the Grande-Digue region on Wednesday. He hasn't been seen since.
Photo: Courtesy
A major research operation
Beausoleil Fire Chief Daniel Desroches says his team received a call from the RCMP early Wednesday evening in reference to a missing person.
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Beausoleil Fire Chief Daniel Desroches received a call from the RCMP early Wednesday evening.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Frederic Cammarano
There was a windsurfing board in the Bay of Grande-Digue and his girlfriend was hoping for it, but he hadn't returned, so we went looking, says the fireman.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Halifax provided a Cormoran helicopter Wednesday evening. An RCMP helicopter later took over the search and the search was suspended around 10:30 p.m. before resuming early Thursday morning.
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Several emergency services took part in the search and rescue operation in Grande-Digue on Wednesday evening.
Photo: Radio-Canada
Searches were conducted Thursday in the Shediac Bay, Shediac Island and Shediac River areas.
At midday the search moved to the quay of Cap-des-Caissies, where the authorities used a drone in particular.
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An off-road vehicle patrols the bay.
Photo: Radio-Canada
Cocagne Fire Department firefighters, Joint Rescue Coordination Center personnel, RCMP Air Service members and ground search and rescue teams took part in the research.
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On Wednesday evening, a helicopter flew over Shediac Bay in the Grande-Digue region.
Photo: Courtesy of Lise Cormier Landry
Hope is fading
Daniel Desroches admits that the more time passes, the harder it becomes to maintain hope. It's disappointing, very disappointing.
But we still hope to find him, admits the firefighter.
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Daniel Robichaud's wife, Rachel Strugnell, attended the search on Thursday.
Photo: Radio-Canada
Daniel Robichaud's wife, Rachel Strugnell, was in shock Thursday afternoon.
“It turns out it’s not a good feeling to see him again,” she said with emotion.
The mercury temperature was -3°C in the region on Thursday.
With information from Rachel Gauvin, Frederic Cammarano and Louis-Philippe LeBlanc