Brian Douglas McLean was 37 when he vanished from MacDowell Lake, District of Kenora, Ontario, on September 8, 1978, while working as a commercial fisherman. He and a co-worker, Russell Thomas, were operating from a camp near MacDowell Lake First Nation territory in an area accessible only by air, about 90 air miles north of Red Lake. The two men worked separately that day to lift nets; Thomas later returned toward camp and found McLean’s boat washed against the shoreline some 300 to 400 metres from the camp, but McLean was not there.

The boat’s motor was in forward gear with the throttle off and the paddle that should have been with the boat was missing. Authorities searched the surrounding terrain and dragged the lake but recovered no trace of McLean. He was recorded as about 5 feet 7 inches, 170 pounds, with short brown hair and brown eyes; most toes on his right foot and several on his left foot were missing. The case remains open with the Red Lake detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police under reference RM08093483.

Are there anyone who worked on or near MacDowell Lake in 1978, or family members who remember Brian, who can share details that might help explain his disappearance?