No trace of missing canoeists near Curtain Falls, Minnesota

As the search for two missing canoeists in Minnesota lasts a week, the Minnesota National Guard has been deployed to help locate them in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness area near the Canadian border.

Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday authorized the Minnesota National Guard to assist the St. Louis County sheriff in searching for and rescuing the two canoeists who went missing May 18 near Curtain Falls.

The Minnesota National Guard will provide a CH-47 (Chinook) helicopter and four crew members for the rescue operation in the BWCA, the governor's office said. They will also help provide “lifting means to transport a boat and additional equipment” to the area. The sheriff's office had requested assistance from the Minnesota National Guard because Curtain Falls is “extremely difficult to access,” making it difficult to transport “equipment, supplies and personnel in and out.” outside the hinterland.