Collingwood Now... Missing Kayaker between Collingwood and Wasaga Beach

Local News Headlines

Missing Kayaker
18 June 2010

Police were at a loss to say why a Collingwood man headed out into Georgian Bay at midnight for a paddle.

Members of the OPP's marine unit and the Canadian Coast Guard are searching the waters of Georgian Bay for a man who went missing after he decided to paddle to Wasaga Beach in a beige kayak. Police say he left Collingwood about midnight.

Const. Mark Kinney said the searchers are focused on the corridor between Collingwood and Wasaga Beach, and working their way out from there. This afternoon, the drone of a Hercules aircraft could be heard over Georgian Bay, as searchers methodically made multiple passes over the water between Craigleith and an area off Wasaga Beach. At one point, a red Coast Guard helicopter could be seen in the far distance, hovering several kilometres north of Wasaga out over the bay.

According to police, 43-year-old Allan Swan headed out from Collingwood to Wasaga Beach around midnight; police were called around 10 a.m. this morning after he failed to arrive at his destination.

Kinney said it's not known if Swann was wearing or carrying a PFD, but "we're hoping he was."

Kinney could not say why Swann decided to head out at that time, nor could he say from what point Swann launched his craft.

Winds were relatively light overnight, but have picked up throughout the morning and afternoon, blowing from the south. Environment Canada is calling for thunderstorms tonight and into the morning for the Collingwood area.

The search is under the direction of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Trenton; members of the Collingwood OPP Marine Unit will be assisted by Canadian Coast Guard vessels and the OPP helicopter out of Orillia.