Searchers dam water, bring in backhoe in desperate quest to find Quebec woman swept over waterfall

After 12 days of fruitlessly searching for any signof Mat Viens, a determined group of police and volunteers have blocked the water that flows into one of the Jean-Larose waterfallsand are digging into thesediment below the falls with a backhoe.

Viens, 21, had been hiking with a friend May 21.

She lost her footing andfell into fast-flowing water, then was sweptover a waterfall at the foot of Mont-Sainte-Annein Beaupr, 40 kilometres northwest of Quebec City.

For days, scuba divers have combed the water below the falls looking for Viens's remains, with noresults.

Today, a team of people still devoted to the search has changedits tactics drastically.

Tearing into sediment with backhoe

Employing a dam above the falls, rescue workershave cut off the water that feeds the river's third and last waterfall and brought inheavy machinery to tear into the sediment and sand that has accumulated at its base.

"Today is D-day," said family friend and scuba-diver Mario Desrapse. "We will find her....We have an enormous amount of patience."

Desrapseis convincedViensrests below one of the pools at thebase of the falls.

After the backhoe digs about four metres into the sidement, the search crew will then use shovels and pails to continue the work by hand.

To the 'very end'

Desrapse has come from the Magdelan Islands, where Viens and her parents are also from, to take part in the search.

"You have to face the situation and go to the very end," he said.

"No one deserves to be left in a ditch. It's painful to wait."