Police divers search for Thelma Krull, missing for 11 days

Winnipeg police are expanding their search for Thelma Krull to include several ponds in the city's northeast.

Dive teams areat a pond off Springfield Road, in the city'sSun Valley Park area,as of 2 p.m. Wednesday. The divers alsochecked the ponds at Kilcona Park.

• People wear purple in support of missing woman
• Indigenous Winnipeggers help community search
• Police seek to identify 3 possible witnesses
• Transit union hopes to up reward with whistle sale
• Thelma Krull's disappearance has police stumped

Const. Eric Hofley said police did not receive a specifictip to searchthe ponds, but decided to check thereas a matter of due diligence.

"We would be remiss not to cover that off," Hofley told CBC News.

Krull,57,was last seen at her home in the north part of Transcona on the morning of July 11 as she set off on a hike toward Chief Peguis Trail.

When Krull didn't show up for her grandson's birthday that afternoon, her family became concerned and called police.

Winnipeg police have admitted that they're "grasping at straws" in their efforts to locate her.

While the homicide unit is taking the lead, police say Krull's case is still being treated as a missing person investigation.

Investigators have previously said she was last known to be in the area of the Kimberly Avenue hill, between Valley Gardens Community Club and Kildonan East Collegiate.

Several community-led searches by family members and volunteers have combed the north Transcona, East Kildonan and Elmwood areas.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the Winnipeg Police Service Missing Persons Unit at 204-986-6250.

Meanwhile, her family members are asking the public to wear purple Krull's favourite colour on Wednesday to keep the missing woman on their minds.