Ont. search and recovery canines scour Gravenhurst for missing Port Carling man

Chance Kay, 35, vanished near the Skyways Motel in Gravenhurst, Ont. on March 29, 2024. (Obtained by CTV News)

It has been nearly a year and a half since Chance Kay, 35, vanished near the Skyways Motel in Gravenhurst.

On Saturday morning, volunteer teams with Ontario Search and Recovery Canines (OSRC) were on the ground, deploying certified human remains detection dogs to scour areas where police efforts have come up empty.

John Grima, manager of Canine Detection Services and a private investigator with OSRC, told CTV News that three canine teams and two flankers were out working in the Gravenhurst area Saturday morning.

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Grima, brings more than 25 years of policing experience with the Ontario Provincial Police and Toronto Police Service.

The port Carling man, who was 35 at the time, was last seen around 1 a.m. on March 29, 2024, near the Skyways Motel along Highway 11 between Gravenhurst and Bracebridge.

According to reports, Kay left the area without a vehicle or his cell phone. It’s thought that he may have entered the bush area near the motel.

Police say he went to meet an acquaintance but was never seen again. OPP in Muskoka searched on the ground and from the sky that month hoping to find answers.

Kay is described as being five feet eight inches tall with a slim build, long auburn hair, brown eyes and has several face tattoos. He was last reported wearing a black Adidas hoodie and green track pants.

Grima told CTV News that his team cleared several areas in the vicinity where Kay was last seen without any indications. “His mother was very pleased and her mind put somewhat at ease,” he said.

Despite extensive ground and aerial searches, Kay’s whereabouts still remain unknown at this time.