Nearly a week after finding her vehicle on forested public lands in the Gaspésie region, Quebec provincial police still have no leads to explain the disappearance of Nadia Lantin. The police force admits that it is "in the middle of a mystery" in the case.
“Everything is on the table, everything is possible," says Sûreté du Québec spokesperson Sgt. Claude Doiron. Since they found Lantin's vehicle six days ago, authorities have not been able to find other elements that could shed light on the disappearance of the woman from Chandler, in the Gaspé Peninsula.
On the evening of Sept. 22, Lantin's car was found in a particularly isolated area of the ZEC des Anses, a densely forested area near Chandler, Gaspé. The vehicle was on an all-terrain vehicle trail.
Teams were on the ground in the forested territory all weekend looking for clues. A helicopter and a dog handler assisted in the search, in addition to approximately 20 officers. Many volunteers also showed up to help.
“People are asked not to take any personal initiatives. This is a territory where it is easy to get out of the way, so make sure you are accredited by the officers on site, who will ensure your safety during the search," explains the SQ spokesperson.
The missing woman was last seen at her workplace, the IGA in Chandler, on Sept. 22. According to the SQ, she would then have gone to the ZEC des Anses, still dressed in her work clothes.
“We are really swimming in more mystery. We don't have any leads, except for the vehicle that was found," said Claude Doiron, "It's clear that it's more and more worrisome. We are talking about a woman who was not organized at all to venture into the forest.”
Police have set up two command posts, one at the reception post of the Anses ZEC and another at the SQ offices in Rocher-Percé, to gather information.
Nadia Lantin is 51 years old, 1.60 m (5'4") tall, weighs approximately 73 kg (160 lbs), has shoulder-length black hair and brown hair. Anyone with information is asked to contact 911.
- This report by The Local Journalism Initiative/Le Soleil was first published in French on Sept. 28, 2021.