RCMP provided an update just after 9:15 p.m. Saturday night.
The search for a missing hunter from Hughes Brook has come to a tragic end. 67 year-old Gary Wells was last seen on November 5 when he left his residence on an ATV for a hunting trip in the Goose Arm Road area.
The man was reported missing on Friday, November 10, and police initiated a search with the assistance of RCMP Police Dog Services and Bay of Islands Volunteer Search & Rescue.
RCMP provided an update just after 9:15 p.m. on Saturday night saying the man had been located deceased.
Earlier story:
Corner Brook RCMP and BOISAR are searching for a missing hunter, 67-year-old Gary Wells of Hughes Brook, who was last seen on November 5th. This morning, Corner Brook RCMP received the report and confirmed that Wells had departed his residence on an all-terrain vehicle Sunday past. He was believed to be headed to the area of Goose Arm Road, behind Hughes Brook (moose hunting area 5). Wells was wearing a black helmet and a black and grey woods jacket. The ATV is a grey 2017 Can-Am Outlander quad with NL licence plate VGV 338.
Search efforts are currently underway, including grounds searches by Bay of Island Ground Search and Rescue, RCMP Police Dog Services, and Corner Brook and Deer Lake Detachments. A helicopter with Provincial Air Services is on standby due to current weather conditions.
Corner Brook RCMP asks the public to immediately report any sightings of the ATV and to refrain from searching to allow effective search efforts by Police Dog Services. Anyone having information on the current location of Gary Wells is asked to contact Corner Brook RCMP at 709-634-4433.
UPDATE: A new evacuation alert is now in effect for the Town of Victoria. An evacuation advisory issued for cabin owners in the Martin Lake, Great Rattling Brook and Rushy Pond areas off Route 360 (Bay d’Espoir Highway) has been extended to include all cabins from Rushy Pond to Rifle Lake (approximately 45 kilometres from the Trans-Canada Highway). Of note, the reception centre at Persalvic in Victoria has relocated to Carbonear. This transition will allow officials to accommodate a larger number of evacuees.
Fire Chief Nikkia O’Brien says thanks to the quick actions of our firefighters, the situation was brought under control — but it’s a stark reminder of just how serious our current fire ban is.
This includes Northern Traverse, Long Range Traverse, Big Lookout, Gros Morne Summit and Ferry Gulch, Western Brook Pond Gorge Day Hike, and Tablelands Off-Trail Hiking.
During a fire ban under Provincial regulations, the use of gas, kerosene, alcohol, propane or charcoal-burning units is permitted only if the units are not used within 3.5 metres of any trees, brush or other flammable material.
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