'We do feel the pressure': Search continues for missing 5-year-old Sask. boy

A desperate search is underway after a child went missing on a Saskatchewan First Nation.

Frank Young was last seen around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, playing in the front yard of a home on Red Earth Cree Nation, according to RCMP.

The community is located roughly 350 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.

The five-year-old was last seen wearing green pyjamas with dinosaurs, a navy-blue windbreaker and rubber Paw Patrol boots. He is four feet tall and weighs 66 pounds.

In the time the boy has been missing, a winter weather system moved through the province bringing snow, wind and frigid temperatures.

"Winter weather conditions are a concern at this time, including the possibility of snow, wind and low temperatures overnight," RCMP said in a news release sent late Tuesday.

Community members, volunteer search and rescue organizations and Saskatchewan RCMP officers were actively looking for the boy Wednesday.

"The search will continue until Frank is found, that's the main objective," Red Earth Vice Chief Barry McKay said during a virtual news conference held Wednesday afternoon.

"We do feel the pressure."

Around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Frank was possibly spotted at the local playground, according to RCMP.

Much of the search has focused on the area near the home where Frank went missing and the playground, Carrot River RCMP Sgt. Richard Tonge said during the news conference.

"We've had drones up searching areas past where the ground search has been taking place — areas that are tougher to access on foot," Tonge said.

"We're going to continue with the drone efforts as well and back that up with aircraft later today."

He said RCMP is waiting to get the plane in the air because its thermal imaging technology works better in the evening.

Tonge described a meeting that happened on Tuesday night, attended by roughly 75 members of Red Earth and nearby Shoal Lake Cree Nation.

"Some plans were put forward to further the search and some guidance was given to community members (about) how they can best assist the searchers in the community by simply checking their own houses, checking their own outbuildings, vehicles to try and find the missing youth." Tonge said.

(Courtesy Northern Photographer)

Members of the community are being asked to stay inside during the aerial search in the hopes that it will make it easier to spot the boy.

A crew equipped with sonar was expected to search a river near the home where Frank went missing.

The search has also included door-to-door inquiries, according to RCMP.

Police do not believe an abduction has occurred and the criteria for an Amber Alert has not been met, RCMP said.

--This is a developing story.