MA State Police Continue Search for Missing 11-year-old Boy

Chicopee Police and the Massachusetts State Police continue to search for Aiden Blanchard, the 11-year-old boy who went missing last Friday.

A flight crew from the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing today conducted an aerial search of the Connecticut River and its banks from the Massachusetts Turnpike down to the Connecticut state line, seeking any evidence related to Aiden's disappearance.

The flight crew did not locate any evidence related to Aiden’s disappearance. The crew observed vast areas of ice covering parts of the river, including south of where Route 91 crosses the river down to Memorial Bridge in Springfield, and again further south-north of Six Flags in Agawam.

Various State Police specialized units, including our Air Wing, Marine Unit, Dive Team, and Drone Unit, along with the State Police Detective Unit for Hampden County, will continue their search efforts with local police in the coming days.

Aiden was last seen Friday, February 5, 2021 at approximately 11:30 a.m. as he was walking in the Willamansett area of Chicopee, near Old Field Road, and was believed to be heading in the direction of the Medina Street boat launch along the Connecticut River.

Aiden is 5’ tall, 100 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a red ski jacket and black ski pants.

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Local and State Police previously searched the Connecticut and Chicopee Rivers using divers, boats, drones, and the State Police Air Wing. The MSP Marine Unit hauled one of its boats to the river from Boston and conducted a water search during Tuesday’s snowstorm. MSP and fire department divers searched over the weekend. The area was searched based on information that Aiden was last known to be in the area of the boat ramp. The operation remains focused on locating Aiden, or any evidence showing his direction of travel or whereabouts.

All evidence known thus far suggests Aiden was alone and near the river when he went missing. Based on the information currently known to detectives, no foul play is suspected at this time. All leads continue to be investigated.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has created a missing person poster for Aiden. Anyone who has information that may help locate Aiden, or who believes they may have seen him, should immediately call 911, Chicopee Police at 413-594-1639, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.

Photos of the Connecticut River taken by the MSP Air Wing flight crew are below.