Family Urges Montreal Police to Resume Search for Teen Missing in River
The family and friends of 18-year-old Hassoun Choui are making an urgent public appeal to Montreal police, calling for the immediate resumption of water search operations. The teenager has been missing since March 26, 2026, after he fell through the ice on the Rivière-des-Prairies.
Desperate Plea from Loved Ones
Ahmet Choui, the father of the missing teen, expressed his family's growing desperation as days pass without finding his son. "Every hour that goes by feels like an eternity," Choui stated. "We need the police to keep searching the water. We cannot give up hope."
The incident occurred when Hassoun was walking near the river, which still had patches of unstable ice despite warming spring temperatures. Witnesses reported seeing him fall through a weak section, prompting immediate emergency calls.
Search Operations and Challenges
Initial search efforts involved:
- Multiple police dive teams
- Helicopter surveillance of the river area
- Ground searches along the shoreline
- Sonar equipment to scan beneath the water surface
However, police have reportedly scaled back active water search operations in recent days, citing dangerous conditions and diminishing probability of survival. The river's strong currents and cold temperatures present significant challenges for rescue teams.
Community Support and Pressure
Local community members have organized vigil gatherings and circulated missing person posters throughout Montreal neighborhoods. Social media campaigns using hashtags like #FindHassoun have gained thousands of shares, putting additional public pressure on authorities to continue search efforts.
Friends describe Hassoun as a popular student with plans to attend college in the fall. "He's always been there for everyone else," said one close friend. "Now we need to be there for him and his family."
Police Response and Considerations
Montreal police officials acknowledge the family's anguish but emphasize the complex factors involved in prolonged water search operations. These include:
- Safety risks to dive teams in cold, fast-moving water
- Limited visibility beneath the surface
- Resource allocation across multiple ongoing investigations
- Professional assessment of survival probabilities after extended submersion
Despite these challenges, the family maintains that search efforts must continue. "We understand the difficulties, but we cannot accept stopping while there's still any chance," Ahmet Choui emphasized.
The case has drawn attention to spring ice safety along Montreal's waterways, with environmental experts noting that warming temperatures are creating increasingly unpredictable ice conditions earlier in the season.
