A helicopter has joined the search for a missing man north of Fort Providence.
Delmer Bonnetrouge, 35, was reported missing by his family on April 27. He was last seen in Fort Providence on April 21.
Police describe Bonnetrouge as 5 ft 8 in tall and 174 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes. He is of Aboriginal descent.
Bonnetrouge had been facing three charges related to sexual assault at the time of his disappearance, though nothing had been proven in court.
Police say there’s no evidence his disappearance is connected to those charges.
So far, RCMP say their investigation suggests two specific search areas. Those areas are now being searched from the air with the help of a helicopter provided by Great Slave Helicopters.
A ground search for Bonnetrouge is also continuing.
Late last month, police had suggested Bonnetrouge might be in Hay River – but he hasn’t turned up in the town in the two weeks since.
Bonnetrouge is the son of Joachim Bonnetrouge, chief of the Deh Gah Got’ie First Nation in Fort Providence.
“Sometimes he goes visiting friends in Yellowknife and Hay River, usually only a day or two,” Chief Bonnetrouge told the CBC last month.
“He’s been moving around and maybe going through some personal stuff that mom and dad don’t really know about.”
Anyone with information about Bonnetrouge’s whereabouts can call Fort Providence RCMP at (867) 699-1111 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
