Thompson Rural RCMP are searching the Nelson River near Kelsey, Manitoba for a missing 60-year-old Alberta man believed to have drowned while fishing. James Redmond was reported missing on August 3, 2026, after last being seen around 5:30 a.m. that morning near his cabin along the river.
Officers found Redmond’s fishing gear roughly 200 metres upstream from the Kelsey Generating Station dam. Investigators believe that spot is where he entered the water. The generating station, operated by Manitoba Hydro, sits about 90 kilometres northeast of Thompson on the Nelson River.
RCMP have brought in drones and a private diving company to help with the search. The river near hydro facilities can be dangerous. Manitoba Hydro warns that waters around generating stations are often turbulent, with strong currents, undertow, and water levels that can change fast.
Redmond worked at the Kelsey Generating Station and was known to fish from the shore. The search is ongoing as Thompson Rural RCMP continue to investigate.
