On July 5, 1975, steelworker Carl John Gallen was last seen on the Long Spruce Dam construction site in northern Manitoba. While drilling into a cement wall near powerful river currents, Gallen — a Caucasian man with blue eyes, heavy build, 71 inches tall and about 194 pounds, wearing green pants and a white cotton t-shirt — fell into deep turbulent water. A co-worker witnessed him go under and reported he did not resurface.

Search teams including the Gillam RCMP conducted an immediate search, but the river’s strong currents and the remote, rugged surroundings hampered recovery; Gallen was not found and those involved presumed he had drowned. It was noted he was not wearing a safety harness or a lifejacket when he fell. Few other verifiable details are available about the incident or subsequent inquiries.