'Lots of pain': Father watches while search for missing son continues in waters off Port Stanley

A father whose 14-year-old son went missing while swimming at Port Stanley's main beach on Sunday, said he's thankful for the support shown to him by the community while remaining hopeful his son can be found. 

Lamir Boz's son went missing Sunday afternoon and since then the boy has been the subject of a search involving two OPP boats, police divers and a police helicopter.

Police say that just after 1 p.m. Sunday two people in distress, a 17-year-old and a 44-year-old, were pulled from the water by members of the Central Elgin Beach Rescue Service. 

Lifeguards were told that a third person was still in the water. 

The search has continued since then, with Boz watching from the breakwater supported by a handful of other members of London's Syrian community. 

Boz was too grief-stricken to provide many details about what happened on Monday. However speaking through friend and interpreter Fayez Al-Sees, Boz said he's grateful for the support his family has received since his son went missing in the water.

"We want to thank all the community here, the police and all the organizations that support him," said Al-Sees. "He has hope to find his son and now feels pain, lots of pain ... he's still in shock."

Boz recently came to Canada from Turkey, where his family had been living after fleeing the Syrian civil war. He lost two daughters in the earthquake that struck Turkey in February 2023. 

Al-Sees said Boz was looking forward to a better life in Canada. 

On Monday afternoon Boz could only watch as the search helicopter passed a few hundred feet above the choppy, wind-whipped waters of Lake Erie.

Police said the search will continue on Monday until dark. 

The start of Monday's search was delayed by a sudden morning rainstorm. 

On Sunday, community members linked arms to form a "human chain" to search the water. 

Their support for the family continues with a tent that's been set up and staffed by volunteers along with members of Elgin Victim Services. They're providing food and support to Boz's family and those taking part in the search. 

In a news release, the OPP thanked community members for their help in Sunday's search but said to assist the search and keep everyone safe they're asking people to stay out of the search area.