Community members continue search for 4-year-old boy who fell into Guysborough river

Concerned community members are continuing the search for a four-year-old boy who fell into the water on Thursday while fishing along a river in Guysborough County.

RCMP said the boy was fishing on the Salmon River close to where it empties into Chedabucto Bay with a man and another child on Thursday afternoon. The man jumped in the water immediately but wasn't able to rescue the child.

More than 13 agencies — including fire departments, volunteer search and rescue teams, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada — were called into service to help find the boy, but the search was suspended on Saturday at 5 p.m. AT. 

RCMP said there was no information to suggest the child got out of the water safely. Any further co-ordinated search efforts would resume by air at a later date, RCMP said.

Community members have not stopped searching for the boy, who was identified as four-year-old Oakley in a Facebook post by Guysborough-Tracadie MLA Greg Morrow.

"Thank you to all of the first responders from near and far who are assisting during this very sad and difficult time. Keep your porch light on for Oakley," Morrow wrote.

A GoFundMe page set up for Oakley's family by a relative says the money raised will support Oakley's parents, two brothers and sister.

"On their way to spend Easter with family, they stopped to enjoy a bit of fishing, and that's when every parent's worst nightmare became a reality," the page reads. 

"Our family would like to take this opportunity to thank every single person — near and far — who has been searching, sending messages, donating, and praying."

A Facebook page titled The Search for Oakley has been set up to help track where members of the public are searching, garnering more than 2,200 members in just a few days.

Dozens of searchers have been walking the shorelines and posting maps of the areas they have combed, indicating the paths they followed.

A few posts reference Spider-Man as being one of Oakley's favourite characters. 

Paul Long, warden of the Municipality of the District of Guysborough, said the community has come together in a big way to offer support and resources, helping to look for Oakley and making food for searchers over the weekend.

Long previously said the incident occurred on the main bridge along the highway, near Route 16, where there is a significant distance between the bridge and the water. 

"Especially when you have a young child go missing, it certainly tugs on the heartstrings of everybody involved and they want to do their best to support them," said Long in a phone interview Tuesday.

"It's been something that's necessary for the community to feel a part of it as well. There's only so many things you can do sometimes in certain situations, and looking is one thing that people can do." 

Cast Away Cafe in Guysborough, N.S., posted in the Facebook group that it would be offering free coffee, grilled cheese sandwiches and soup to anyone helping with the search this week.

On Tuesday, the RCMP said it is working with partner agencies who supported the initial search to analyze information that has been collected to determine where and when searches will resume.

It said any further search efforts would resume by air "at a later date." The type of craft used, such as a plane, helicopter, or drone, will be determined based on the needs of the search.

"As with all search and rescue or recovery situations, investigators will follow up on any and all new information that is received, and there will be consideration to environmental conditions and weather and their impact on the safety of the people involved in searches," the statement said.

Strait Regional Centre for Education said additional supports were in place Tuesday at its schools, including counsellors and other school and regional staff who can provide support as needed.