As OPP Helicopter Searches River, Volunteer Group Says the Search for James Van-Veen “Never Stopped”
The search for James Van-Veen continued Monday as an OPP helicopter scanned the Sydenham River, and volunteers with Please Bring Me Home continued their daily efforts near Inglis Falls.
An OPP helicopter circled and hovered low over downtown Owen Sound today as the search for James Van-Veen continued along the Sydenham River.
Van-Veen has been missing since January 26, when he was last seen around 4 a.m. in Georgian Bluffs. Police located his vehicle parked at the Inglis Falls Conservation Area, prompting an extensive ground and aerial search.
Van-Veen, 64, is described as 5’10” tall with a slim build, grey hair, brown eyes, and glasses. He was last seen wearing dark overalls, a high-visibility orange sweater, and steel-toed work boots.
Volunteers Have Continued Searching Since Police Paused Efforts
Van-Veen’s disappearance prompted significant community involvement. In early February, more than 70 volunteers joined a coordinated search organized by the volunteer group Please Bring Me Home (PBMH), covering trails, riverbanks, and nearby roads despite frigid temperatures.
Nick Oldrieve, Executive Director of PBMH, told Owen Sound Current on Monday that the search for Van-Veen never stopped.
“We’ve been to Inglis Falls every day since he went missing,” Oldrieve said. “We check from seven different vantage points every day with binoculars, and every Sunday, we go and search the river.”
Oldrieve said on those weekend efforts, volunteers typically search from Harrison Park up through Inglis Falls and on to Grey Road 18 each weekend, searching both by the river and the sides of the road.
PBMH is planning another large search on Sunday March 15, involving volunteers who have participated in efforts over the past six weeks.
OPP Suspended Search in February Due to Dangerous Winter Conditions
The Ontario Provincial Police paused active search operations on February 2, citing heavy snow, unstable ice, and dangerous terrain around the escarpment and riverbanks that made it unsafe for search teams to continue.
In the days following Van-Veen’s disappearance, OPP deployed multiple specialized units, including the Emergency Response Team (ERT), Canine Unit, Aviation Services, and the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit, focusing on cliffs, trails, wooded areas, and riverbanks surrounding Inglis Falls.
Police had indicated at the time they would resume the search once conditions improved. They have continued to ask the public for help in the investigation.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the Grey Bruce OPP at 1-888-310-1122 and reference file E260112985. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 1‑800‑222‑TIPS or visit www.crimestop-gb.org.
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