Montreal

Rescuers search for 4-year-old girl after she fell into Quebec river

The girl fell into the river while sliding with her mother, according to a spokesperson for the fire service in Dolbeau-Mistassini, Que., about 300 kilometres north of Quebec City.

Firefighters, provincial police are searching area by land and water

A closeup of the side door of a white, black and yellow police car.
Quebec's provincial police, the Sûreté du Québec, is assisting with the search for the four-year-old girl. (Lynda Paradis/Radio-Canada)

A search operation is underway after a four-year-old girl fell into the Mistassibi River in Dolbeau-Mistassini, Que., about 300 kilometres north of Quebec City.

The search began Friday at 2:30 p.m., and continued late into the afternoon.

A spokesperson for the Dolbeau-Mistassini fire service told Radio-Canada that a mother and her daughter were sliding on a snowy hill near the Motel Chute des Pères on Panoramique Boulevard.

The daughter went beyond the riverbank and fell into the water, the spokesperson said.

The girl fell into a section of the river that includes rapids known as Les Chute des Pères.

Firefighters and Quebec provincial police are involved in the search, walking the river banks and relying on a specialized boat to scour the area.

with files from Radio-Canada