Snow-bound area in Winter. Photos- RCMP, 20 January 2022.
By SAT News Desk
In a heartbreaking tragedy, four Indians (2 adults, one teen & one baby) froze to death on the Canadian side of the US-Canada border after getting stuck in the snow at night trying to cross into the United States. The information was shared by the Canadian police on 20 January 2022 after being informed about it from the US side and a subsequent search.
A media release from the Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on 20 January 2022 says, ” RCMP officers were already patrolling the area and the search began at 9:24 am. Extensive patrols were conducted and, at approximately 1:30 pm, the bodies of three individuals were located on the Canadian side of the border, approximately 10km east of Emerson. They have been identified as An adult male; An adult female; and An infant.”
The media release adds: ” Fearing there may be additional victims, officers continued their search and located the body of an additional male, believed at this time to be in his mid-teens.
All victims were located approximately 12 metres from the US/Canada border.
At this very early stage of the investigation, it appears that they all died due to exposure to the cold weather. Work is underway to identify the victims and an autopsy has been scheduled to confirm the cause of death.
The search for any possible survivors or additional victims continued throughout the evening of Wednesday, January 19, and RCMP officers continue to patrol the area today. To date, no other victims have been located.
The RCMP will be conducting a thorough investigation and is working in close collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”
UPDATE: The deceased have been identified as residents of Dingucha village in Kalol tehsil of Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, a report in The Quint says.
It adds: “The family was part of a group of 11 individuals from Gujarat who were on their route to cross into the US as part of a human smuggling operation but froze to death in a failed crossing attempt during a blizzard.”
“The High Commission of India in Ottawa and our Consulate in Toronto continue to work closely with Canadian authorities on all aspects of the investigation into this incident. A special team, led by a senior consular officer from the Consulate General of India in Toronto, is camping in Manitoba to assist the ongoing investigation by Canadian agencies and to render any consular services for the victims,” it added.
Update source- The Quint, 28 Jan 2022, 9:40 AM IST.
