Missing rafters found safe

By Lethbridge Herald on August 30, 2023.

A sign marks the emergency boat launch in the city's river bottom Tuesday, as multiple agencies searched the area's waterways for a trio of missing rafters. Herald photo by Ian Martens

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com

A trio of missing rafters were found safe on Tuesday afternoon after family members lost contact with the three the day before.

The Lethbridge Police Service said the rafters were found south of Lethbridge by HALO Air Ambulance who had volunteered their services to help aid in the search coordinated by RCMP. 

Earlier Tuesday LPS sent out a release saying they were investigating the disappearance of a mother and son, who went missing after rafting along a southern Alberta river with her boyfriend in search of ammolite. 

Sheena Empringham, 38, and her three-year-old son, Atreyu Empringham, were reported missing on Monday by a family member who had been speaking to the woman via text but had lost contact.

LPS stated Tuesday that on Sunday Sheena sent a text indicating she and her son had gone floating down the river with her boyfriend and were running out of food and water. She asked the family member to come and pick them up “south of Lethbridge” but wasn’t sure what river they had been on or where exactly they were.

On Monday the family member received another text message saying Sheena’s phone had died but she still needed a ride. She indicated she’d call the relative at 3 p.m. with more information and has not been heard from since.

The search was complicated by the fact that authorities did not have information on what date the trio started their excursion, the point where they entered the water or what river they were actually on. 

Based on the availability of ammolite and likely locations where it is found, police had concentrated their search efforts south of the city along the Oldman River.

Investigative efforts included deployment of the Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services Water Rescue Team along the Oldman River Monday evening. Police say the search boat made it as far as the St. Mary River before the water became too shallow to proceed.  

LPS used an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to conduct a search south of Lethbridge and in partnership with RCMP camping areas were checked near locations where ammolite is prevalent.

Police expressed their appreciation, thanking everyone who was involved in the collaborative investigation for their assistance.