MONTREAL -- Searches are being carried out Thursday on La Grande Décharge, an outflow river of Lac Saint-Jean, to find the bodies of two French snowmobilers missing since Jan. 21.
The search efforts are becoming more difficult due to intense cold in the region, adding thickness to the ice, the Surete du Quebec said Thursday.
According to Environment Canada, the temperature there is currently -24 degrees Celsius.
Ice is closing in around the divers' boats, and authorities are constantly evaluating the risks for search teams, police said.
On Wednesday, acting Public Safety Minister Andrée Laforest said that if Thursday's search was unsuccessful, it would be up to the Sûreté du Québec to decide if it would continue Friday, when it is expected to be even colder.
- With a report from The Canadian Press
