Missing Airdrie man's truck found

The black Ford Ranger pickup truck belonging to an Airdrie, Alta., man who went missing Sept. 6 has been found at a Jasper National Park trail head.

Jordan Darda, 20, left for a solo camping trip in the Jasper area on the Labour Day long weekendand hasn't been seen since.

On Wednesday, Airdrie RCMP said they had been advised that a Parks Canada search team had found the truck belonging to the University of Alberta student at Pinto Lake.

Police asked for patience while the search is conducted of the immediate area by Parks Canada staff and members from multiple RCMP detachments.

Area search and rescue isn't asking for volunteers at this time, "as the initial search must be done thoroughly and with properly trained people," according to an RCMP news release.

The RCMP warned that anyone who might mean well and try to help could actually end up hindering the search by creating false trails for the search and rescue units.

Const.Robert Frizzell of Airdrie RCMP called the discovery of the truck a significant step in the right direction.

"When we informed his mother, she was obviously pretty relieved and excited to hear that news," said Frizzell."As well as an investigational standpoint, it actually gives usa starting point for us to send out our search and rescue teams rather than combing the entire park."

Frizzell said that at this point there are no signs of a struggle or foul play.

Darda's last text message to a friend said he was camping in his truck because he had arrived too late to set up a tent.

Darda is an experienced camper and knows the area. But he was not equipped to be away this long or in this weather, police said.

"He left his sleeping bag and his coat in his apartment in Edmonton," Darlene Darda, Jordan's mother,told a news conference Tuesday. "So he's not really that prepared."