'There are so many souls in there': Group gathers to bless the Red River

With drumming, songs and a smudge, a group of people gathered at the Alexander Docks in Winnipeg to bless the Red River on Sunday afternoon.

The ceremony honours the people who lost their lives in the river, either by murder or suicide, said organizer Shauna Taylor.

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It was the second year doing the blessing, Taylor added.

"We try to do it in the spring to open the river and in the fall to close it," she said.

"With the weather being so rainy it's been put off for a little bit."

The docks are where Tina Fontaine's body was pulled from the river in 2014, and was chosen as the site for the teen's memorial.

"It needs to be blessed because there are so many souls in there. They just need to come up and feel like someone actually cares for them," Taylor said.

Drag the Red, a volunteer group thatscours the Red River for clues about missing people, also started its season recently.

It's the third year the volunteer group will be searching for answers in and along the river.