Search team scours Dauphin's Countryfest grounds for Winnipeg man who disappeared
'I'm just very, very, very worried for him' says brother of Danny Kidane, 24
A search is underway for a Winnipeg man who disappeared from a popular Manitoba music festival Saturday afternoon.
Danny Kidane, 24, was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday in the campground at Dauphin's Countryfest, said festival president Ann Ransom.
"I'm just very, very, very worried for him," said his brother Haben Kidane Monday afternoon. Kidane is in Calgary and is searching for a flight to Winnipeg so he can be with his family.
'A very smart kid'
Haben said searchers have now started looking in Riding Mountain National Park for his brother. The park's entrance is close to the Countryfest grounds. Haben said if his brother got lost in the park, he thinks he'd be able to fend for himself in the outdoors.
"He's a very very smart kid. He's pretty good at making things out of nothing so I can imagine he would be able to hold himself for at least a little while."
Festival officials displayed a photo of Kidane on the main stage Sunday night, asking everyone to keep their eyes peeled for the man. The search for him continued Monday morning as thousands of campers packed up and got ready to leave the festival for another year.
Bill Gade owns the local CJ Radio station and said it's not uncommon for people to go missing for a few hours at the festival but he's never seen someone go missing for this long there in all his years covering the event.
"That's the first time I can remember in 29 years that that's happened."
Helicopter helps search efforts
He said there's a fence around the creek but it's common for people to go over it with lawn chairs to enjoy the water.
"It's a very common thing. You know, on a busy day you might see 500 people in that creek."
Gade said security guards were searching along the creek and a helicopter was used to help look for Kidane.
Dauphin is located about 250 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.
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