The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will provide a media briefing on Wednesday regarding the ongoing search for a six-year-old boy who disappeared over a week ago in southern Alberta.
Named Darius Macdougall, he was reported missing on September 21 after he failed to return from a walk with six young relatives in the Crowsnest Pass area, where the family, hailing from Lethbridge, Alberta, was camping.
Initially hopeful of finding the boy safe, the RCMP mentioned last weekend that his chances of survival had dwindled to less than five percent.
The briefing is scheduled for noon on Wednesday.
Authorities have noted that Macdougall is autistic and, although he can communicate verbally, he might not react to his name. Special search strategies have included playing his favorite song and refraining from loud noises during the search operation.
Cpl. Gina Slaney mentioned on Tuesday that search teams were revisiting areas with a higher likelihood of finding the boy that had been previously searched and following up on tips provided by the public.
Searchers have described the terrain as mountainous, with numerous elevation changes, streams, and fallen trees. Nighttime temperatures have recently dropped to the low single digits.
