Sept 13 '23 lengthy article, rbbm.
Police say every case remains open until the person is found
www.yukon-news.com
“No case is closed until the person is found,” according to the RCMP.
The Yukon RCMP said by email early on Sept. 8 that it has 76 open cases relating to 86 people reported missing from 1959 to the present day. That includes historical cases reported by friends and family who haven’t seen a loved one in more than 50 years.
Police noted there are several caveats to consider when looking at the numbers.
Per the email, partial human remains have been found and determined to be the missing person in some cases, but not enough was found to close the cases so the files stay open in the event that more remains are found.
Some cases involve plane crashes with multiple people on board and an unknown final crash location.
Some files are created to reflect the possibility of a plane that may have crashed en route from Alaska to the Yukon, however the actual locations remain undiscovered.
Some cases are related to missing persons in Alaska who may have made their way to the Yukon.
Foul play is not suspected to be a factor in the vast majority of cases, which mostly involve people who went missing while hiking, prospecting, fishing or hunting and are presumed to be dead.''
''The much more recent disappearance of Ramona Peter is not listed on the national database, although RCMP recently issued a press release reiterating the search for Peter is continuing ahead of hunting season.''
In May, Ross River Dena Council’s (RRDC) band council declared a state of emergency related to the disappearance of Peter, an RRDC citizen, as well as the ongoing issue of people entering the small town northeast of Whitehorse to traffic drugs or bootleg alcohol and a black bear that has been putting RRDC citizens at risk as it wanders through the community.
At the time, RRDC leadership said it wanted to see more done.
“These are serious and life-threatening issues,” said RRDC Chief Dylan Loblaw.
“Ross River Dena Council desperately needs help from the Government of Yukon. The search for Ramona Peter is imperative. We will not stop looking for her. We will not give up on her. We call on Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai to provide immediate assistance as we continue to search for our beloved sister, including human and financial resources.”
Per the Aug. 31 police release, ground, river and aerial searches in and around the community of Ross River have been extensive in attempts to find Peter. Police are asking anyone travelling on land and waterways to look out for anything that may be related to her disappearance.''