Search for missing Murray Harbour man now recovery mission

Police are now treating the search for Alan Richards as a recovery mission, and are focusing their efforts on scanning the water for his body.

The 68-year-old from Murray Harbour, P.E.I., has been missing since Wednesday.

RCMP Cpl. AlexisTriantafillou said as the search has been ongoing for more than 48 hours, it's now being considered a recovery mission.

He said police are confident they've exhausted their ground search.

SUV found near shore

Alan Richards' 2013 Ford Escape was located in the Cape Bear area of Kings County, where police, about 50 volunteers and helicopter from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifaxwere searching on Thursday on the water and the shore.

"The area where he could have walked has been thoroughly examined and searched from both the air and on the ground with two police dogs and with the ground search and rescue team," said Triantafillou. "So basically that area of the search or that aspect of the search has been exhausted."

An air search was active Friday morning, but stopped due to the weather.

An RCMP boat is still searching on water. Triantafillou said he didn't have a timeline on how much longer police will continue to scan the water.

Triantafillousaid there has been nothing to indicate foul play, but that nothing has been ruled out yet.

Richards works at the Holland College Marine Training Centre in Summerside. Anyone with information on his whereabouts or who may have seen him Wednesday are asked to contact Montague RCMP at 902-838-9300.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS | Fire ruins 70 tonnes of corn
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS | Gas prices rise 5 cents overnight