An elderly couple who went missing in Canada are believed to have been mauled to death in a bear attack after police discovered two bodies near a remote lake. Jay and Deb MacDonald, both retired and in their 70s, had been on a fishing trip and were staying at a cabin near McTavish Lake, Saskatchewan, when they stopped answering their phones. Relatives contacted the police, who launched a search for the pair.
Discovery of the bodies
Two people have been found dead, though formal identification has not yet been confirmed. Deb’s brother, Donjames LeBlanc, told CBC that police found Jay 'lying by the lakeshore dead' before locating his sister’s body in the woods near the cabin. The couple had previously mentioned to him that there were large numbers of black bears in the area. A mass was held for the couple on Thursday.
Bear involvement confirmed
Canada’s Ministry of Community Safety confirmed on Friday that a bear had been involved in the couple’s deaths. Conservation officers were dispatched to euthanize the bear believed to be responsible. The animal will be transported to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine for a necropsy to confirm the cause of death.
Remote location
McTavish Lake is a remote lake located about 55 miles north of the nearest large town, La Ronge, and is only accessible by plane. The remoteness of the area complicated the search and response efforts.
