Body of missing boater Nour Ali recovered on Lake Winnipeg
Winnipeg man missing since his boat capsized Saturday near Bélair
The body of a Winnipeg man who went missing on Lake Winnipeg over the weekend has been recovered, Manitoba RCMP announced on Twitter.
Nour Ali, 42, has been missing since his boat capsized on Saturday near Bélair in an accident that also killed his father, Hamsa Ali.
Nour Ali's body was recovered at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday by RCMP, the Hutterite Emergency Aquatic Response Team and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Mounties tweeted.
"RCMP would like to thank all the first responders who assisted in the search," the RCMP added in a press release.
The Victoria Beach Fire and Rescue, CFB Trenton and "countless community members who came out every day" also assisted in the search, the Mounties said.
"We would also like to acknowledge the efforts of a 46-year-old male from the area, who was one of the first people on scene, and rescued one of the boaters."
Three men survived the accident, which remains under RCMP investigation.
In a statement, Ali's family thanked volunteers, search-and-rescue personnel and the residents of the East Beaches area.
"We are heartbroken to learn today that our beloved friend, father, and husband Nour Ali was found in the water. We know that so many others are sharing this great loss," the family said in a statement.
"We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the RCMP, and many other volunteers and organizations who continued to tirelessly search for Nour and are supporting our family in many ways during this terrible time.
"We would also like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the locals who, on Saturday, noticed something was wrong and risked their lives to try and save all of our loved ones."
Nour Ali is survived by his wife Maysoun Darweesh, 41, and their two daughters, ages 16 and 13.
Ali and Darweesh fled Syria before arriving in Winnipeg 2012. Ali created the Kurdish Initiative for Refugees Inc. and has been hailed for his work with newcomers.