On May 5 at approximately 10 a.m., the body of Ernest Severight, a 30-year-old male from the Cote First Nation, was located by community volunteers in the Assiniboine River, approximately 10 metres downstream from the Kamsack Concrete Weir.
Ernest Severight was observed falling into the water at the base of the Weir on April 23, shortly before 7 p.m., said a release from the RCMP. He was presumed drowned at that time and an extensive recovery effort was initiated. The recovery efforts included several agencies and volunteers.
Saskatchewan RCMP would like to highlight the work of the several communities and agencies who came together during the recovery efforts to bring a successful resolution to the search for Severight, and provide closure for his family and friends.
Thank you to: Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA), Cote First Nation, Keeseekoose First Nation, The Key First Nation, Town of Kamsack, Duck Mountain EMS, Grandmother's Bay Search and Recovery, Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team (HEART), Kamsack Volunteer Fire Department, Yorkton Fire Department, Ottawa Valley Search and Rescue, Prince Albert Grand Council Search and Recovery, RCMP F Division Underwater Recovery Team (URT), RCMP Yorkton Forensic Identification Section (UAV), RCMP Kamsack, RCMP Indigenous Policing Service, Parkland Victim Services, Red Cross, Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, Saskatchewan Emergency Management & Fire Safety (EMFS), Saskatoon Fire Department Surface Water Rescue Team, Yorkton Tribal Council Emergency Management, Saskatchewan Environment Resource Management (SERM), as well as countless volunteers from neighbouring communities, inside and outside the province.
On the morning of April 30, the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team was assisted by the Saskatoon Fire Department in the search efforts for Severight, who went missing in the Weir on April 23, and was presumed drowned.
The Saskatoon Fire Department brought their Creature Craft which is a unique pontoon-styled floatation unit specially designed to maintain stability while searching turbulent waterways. The Saskatoon Fire Department assisted with one of their watercraft and the divers were from the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team (URT.)
They searched the water at the base of the dam, which could not be searched a few days earlier without the Creature Craft.
At that time, the search around the area where Severight was last seen had been as thorough as humanly possible with sonar, visual, and manual techniques.
