Stephen Vance, Staff
The Owen Sound Police Service has issued a statement confirming that a body has been found in the Owen Sound harbour, and it is believed to be missing soldier, 19 year old Andrew Fitzgerald.
“On Thursday August 18, at approximately 3:45 pm members of the Ontario Provincial Police Underwater Search and Recovery Unit found human remains believed to be 19 year old Andrew Fitzgerald,” read the statement.
Police say that the body was located near the water treatment facility on the east shore of the Owen Sound harbour.
“The coroner attended and has ordered a post-mortem examination to be conducted at the London Health Sciences Centre, in London Ontario. The date and time of the examination is unknown,” read the statement from police.
A news conference will be held tomorrow at 11:00 am, at the Owen Sound Police Service.
Earlier in the day on Thursday, police released a photo of the type of ball cap that Fitzgerald had been wearing at the time of his disappearance and were asking the public to contact the Owen Sound Police Service immediately if they find a similar hat.
“If any member of the public locates a similar hat, they are asked to contact the Owen Sound Police Service at (519) 376-1234 Ext. 0 immediately or the police agency within the jurisdiction it is located,” asked the Owen Sound Police Service in a press release issued Thursday August 18. “If a matching hat is located and can securely remain in its discovered location, police are asking citizens not to disturb the hat from its location. If it cannot securely remain in place ie: (body of water or wind), police are asking the finder to handle the hat as little as possible to a secure location and note or mark the location found as accurately as possible.”
Fitzgerald, who is from Nova Scotia, is described by police as a 19 year old male, 6 ft, 2” tall (188 cm), weighing approximately 180lbs (82kg). He has a lean muscular build and short cut brown hair. He is a member of the Canadian military, and had been training at the Fourth Division Canadian Training Centre in Meaford.
He was last seen at 4:30 am on Saturday, August 13, at the intersection of 16th Street East and 9th Avenue. He was wearing a black baseball hat, red plaid coloured button-up shirt, white tee shirt, beige pants and black skateboarding style shoes.
Please contact the Owen Sound Police Service at (519) 376-1234 if you have information in relation to his whereabouts, or if you have had contact with him on social media.
