Montreal

Divers find no clues on first day of river search for missing Mauricie woman

Provincial police called off the underwater search Thursday, after divers weren't able to find anything on the disappearance of 34-year-old Mélissa Blais, last seen on Nov. 2.

The 34-year-old mother of two was last seen on Nov. 2

The SQ have been searching the river for any trace of the missing woman, Mélissa Blais. (Maude Montembeault/Radio-Canada)

Provincial police have called off the search for missing 34-year-old Mélissa Blais, who was last seen leaving a bar in Louiseville, about 10 kilometres west of her home in Yamachiche, Que.

Police divers used sonar equipment on a river in the Mauricie region, in central Quebec, but had to call off the search at dusk on Thursday. Police say they will reassess Friday morning.

Sûreté du Québec spokesperson Sgt. Éloïse Cossette said the divers were first called in after helicopters searched the area and found no sign of Blais's 2011 black Toyota Corolla.
Mélissa Blais is from Yamachiche, Que., near Trois-Rivières, and has two children. (Facebook)

Cossette said several roads run alongside the river, and it's possible that Blais was in an accident.

"It's hard to determine what happened," Cossette told CBC. "Was she disoriented when she left downtown? Did she get lost? We are trying to find out what happened."

Divers in one boat looked for clues along the riverbanks, the others used sonar to detect forms in the murky brown water.

Jonathan Baril, the father of Blais' eldest child, told Radio-Canada that he suspects foul play.

Blais has green eyes, weighs 145lbs and measures 1.70 metres.

With files from Radio-Canada's Maude Montembeault