Family preps to search Arborg area for missing man without police

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This article was published 17/06/2018 (2286 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As one search ends, a new one begins.

On the two-week anniversary of Eduardo Balaquit’s disappearance, the Winnipeg Police Service confirmed Monday its ground search had officially wrapped up in Arborg, a small community 110 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

Now that the police search of the area is complete, it has opened up space for Balaquit’s family – which has been desperate to find the 59-year-old Winnipeg man – to get their own search underway.

Beginning Tuesday morning, the family, in lockstep with local volunteers, will head out into the fields and bush surrounding the rural town, looking for anything that might help them piece together what happened to the husband and father.

“We approached the community, and they asked us to give them 24 hours. They’re rounding people up for us, they’re rounding up equipment. They’ve given us a place to set up as a headquarters, so we’re planning on going first thing tomorrow morning,” Edward Balaquit, one of Eduardo’s two sons, told the Free Press.

Eduardo Balaquit has been missing since June 4, when he disappeared after leaving for work on the 300 block of Keewatin Street in Winnipeg. His van was found abandoned the next day in a nearby parking lot, with a window smashed, his belongings scattered on the ground and his cellphone left inside.

The WPS homicide unit quickly took over the investigation from missing persons.

On June 13, police announced the search had expanded to Arborg. On June 15, Const. Rob Carver said ground efforts in the area were winding down. On Monday, a WPS spokeswoman confirmed those efforts were complete.

Edward Balaquit said his family doesn’t have any idea what led police to Arborg in the first place, but still consider the small community fo 1,200 their best lead.

“They had a bunch of people, a bunch of equipment, a ton of resources, all up here. They had some kind of clue that brought them here. Just because they’ve wound down the ground search, doesn’t mean my dad isn’t here,” he said Monday.

“With the amount of resources they’ve put out there, they didn’t tell me directly, but reading between the lines, I’m assuming they might have found something of note.”

Many locals have already stepped forward to offer up support, he said, adding property owners are giving the family the OK to have volunteer searchers check their land for clues. As many of the area properties are large and sprawling, it remains unclear how long it will take volunteers to comb the area.

Edward Balaquit said the outpouring of support from the community has been incredible during this difficult time.

“We’ve been given food. We’ve been given water. They’ve set us up with pretty much a whole building to ourselves to use as a headquarters. None of that was asked for. There is a lot they’re giving out of their own good will,” he said.

“Everyone’s eyes are open up here (Arborg). I keep saying it feels like we’re getting closer, but it does. I believe we’re getting closer and that we’ll have my dad back home. I’m sure this will be over soon.”

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpe