News briefs for Sunday, July 19, 2026

Search continues for two boys presumed drowned

2:02 PM

Two boys are presumed drowned in Nutimik Lake in the Whiteshell.

RCMP and community search-and-rescue teams are still trying to locate the children, aged 10 and 13, who got caught in fast-moving rapids in Nutimik Lake near Sturgeon Falls Trail in Whiteshell Provincial Park on Saturday.

Lac du Bonnet RCMP received the report of possible drowning at 12:40 p.m. July 18. Police immediately went to the scene, along with local fire personnel and emergency responders, but didn’t find the boys despite extensive patrols on the water and on the shoreline, police stated in a news release Sunday.

Manitoba RCMP Underwater Recovery Team  and the Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team were deployed to assist in the search. Drones were also used.

Man charged after demanding cash for stolen cat

1:02 PM

A 72-year-old man is facing charges of  theft and extortion after demanding cash for a stolen cat in Winnipeg’s North End. 

On Tuesday, police were called by a 44-year-old woman who said her cat had gone missing from her home in the 200 block of Manitoba Avenue, said a news release from the Winnipeg Police Service on Sunday.

She told police she suspected a neighbour was involved; the man eventually sent her a letter demanding cash for the animal’s return, said the release. The woman then reported the ransom letter to officers. 

On Thursday, police attended the neighbour’s home and found the cat inside unharmed, returning the animal to its owner. The 72-year is now facing charges of theft under $5,000 and extortion. 

He was released on an undertaking.

Investigation continues into high-speed Main Street crash

10:03 AM

Winnipeg police continue to investigate a multi-vehicle, high-speed crash on Main Street that sent four people to hospital with serious and critical injuries on Friday.

All of the injured were treated and stabilized, but the motorcycle driver suffered “potentially life-altering” injuries, the Winnipeg Police Service stated in a news release Sunday.

The crash happened at about 5:30 p.m. July 17 at Main Street and Jarvis Avenue. A 2014 BMW 328i XDrive with two occupants, and a 2022 Indian Challenger motorcycle with an operator and one passenger, were travelling alongside each other southbound at high speed, when a Ford Escape pulled into the path of the speeding vehicles, according to the preliminary police investigation. Police said the Ford clipped the rear of the BMW, causing it to collide with a nearby building on the west side of Main Street, while the motorcycle struck the rear of the Escape, resulting in both riders being thrown from the motorcycle. The BMW also struck a second SUV with two occupants.

Speeding is the primary factor in the collision, police say.

The traffic division is asking anyone with information, or who may have dashcam, security, or cell phone video from around the time of the incident, to contact police at 204-986-7085 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers 204-786-8477 or winnipegcrimestoppers.org.