Montreal police divers have been pulled from the waters of the Rivière des Prairies after two days of fruitless searches for any sign of a missing 10-year-old boy.
Ariel Jeffrey Kouakou disappeared from his Cartierville neighborhood on March 12, and Montreal police have spared no expense in their search. They've gone door-to-door in the area near his home, and used horses, the canine unit, all-terrain vehicles and a helicopter as part of their search.
On Monday, police divers were dispatched into the icy waters, but on Tuesday afternoon, they called off the search. Aside from the cold water, a police spokesperson suggested the layers of ice and snow on the river blocked sunlight from getting into the water, making the divers' job especially difficult.
Police say they won't send the divers back in unless they get new and credible information.
Meanwhile, a reward for information leading to the boy being found has now climbed to $100,000, after an unnamed Montreal businessman contributed $50,000.
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Police, meanwhile, say they're received closes to 600 tips related to Ariel's disappearance, and are asking the public to remain vigilant.
"We're still asking people be aware of any sign any information," said Andrée-Anne Picard of the Montreal police force. "Every little information is very important for us. It could be major for us. We're still working on all the theories at this moment."
Ariel is 4'7", and weighs 88 pounds. He has black hair, black eyes, dark skin and speaks French.
He was wearing a black hooded coat, grey pants, and yellow shoes.
Anyone with information about Ariel is urged to call police at 9-1-1 or to call Info Crime at 514-393-1133.