OPP Suspend Search for Missing Georgian Bluffs Man Due to Dangerous Conditions
Police have suspended the search for James Van-Veen in Georgian Bluffs, citing snow, ice, and hazardous terrain for preventing safe access to the Inglis Falls area.
Ontario Provincial Police have suspended the search for James Van-Veen, a 64-year-old Georgian Bluffs man, after five days of extensive efforts in the Inglis Falls Conservation Area. The call for any information that may help the investigation, including dashcam or trail cam footage, remains.
Police announced the decision on February 2, citing hazardous winter conditions that now prevent ground and aerial crews from operating safely.
Officers began the search on Monday, January 26, after Van-Veen failed to report for work. A short time later, police found his vehicle abandoned in the Inglis Falls parking lot and launched immediate search operations.
Since then, OPP deployed multiple specialized teams, including the Emergency Response Team, Canine Unit, Aviation Services, and the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit.
Crews searched cliffs, riverbanks, escarpment trails, and wooded terrain on both sides of the Sydenham River. Aerial units focused on hard-to-reach areas, including unstable ice pockets and steep slopes.
Grey County staff and conservation authority workers assisted throughout the operation.
Police say heavy snow, shifting ice, and treacherous terrain now pose too great a risk for search teams to continue. The OPP confirmed they will monitor weather conditions and resume the search once crews can safely return to the area.
Van-Veen remains missing. Police continue to seek assistance from the public and urge anyone with relevant information to come forward.
Investigators are asking residents and visitors who were near Inglis Falls between the evening of Sunday, January 25, and late morning on Monday, January 26, to review any dashcam, home surveillance, or trail camera footage for possible sightings.
Police describe Van-Veen as 5’10” and approximately 175 lbs, with shoulder-length grey-white hair, a full grey beard, brown eyes, and prescription glasses. He was likely wearing dark overalls and high-cut work boots.
Anyone with information should call the OPP at 1‑888‑310‑1122. 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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