Man missing after tube capsizes on Lunenburg County river

Searchers are scouring an area of the Gold River in Nova Scotia's Lunenburg County for a man who went missing while tubing on Monday.

RCMP said Tuesdaythree men had been tubing on the river near Beech Hill Road around 6:30 p.m. AT when their tubes flipped. Two men managed to get to shore, while the thirdwas last seen drifting down the river holding onto his tube.

RCMP, including a helicopterand police dogs, as well as the military's Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, the Chester Volunteer Fire Department, the Western Shore Fire Department and ground search and rescue teams from Lunenburg County and the Eastern Shore have been looking for the swimmer. A search and rescue water team from Halifax is also on the scenewith several kayaks.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay said he would not release the man's age or hometown "out of respect for the family."

He said he doesn't know if the men were wearing life-jackets.

Tremblay saidpeople should use caution in and around waterways, which still have high water levels after the weekend's historic rainfall.

"Anytime you have floodwater, there's a high risk of debris in there, so tree stumps, branches, there could be glass, metal, in some places we're seeing vehicles submerged. So there's a risk of injury if you are striking any of these objects in the water, not to mention any health risk in regards to bacteria."

Tremblay said currents could also be stronger than usual due to water levels.

"It's certainly a high risk to engage in recreational activities when floodwaters are present," he said.

Gold River flows into the Atlantic Ocean between Chester, N.S., and Mahone Bay.