On Thursday, shortly after 6 p.m., Ile a la Crosse RCMP received a report of a young girl being held against her will for the past four days in a cabin across Ile a La Crosse Lake, approximately 10 kilometers from the the village of Isle La Crosse.

Initial reports revealed a man police say are responsible for the confinement had temporarily left the cabin to an unknown destination. RCMP say they made several patrols in the village of Isle La Crosse in an attempt to locate him while officers also began to strategize the safest approach to travel across the lake to the secluded cabin.

The Canadian Armed Forces and the Saskatchewan Emergency Response Team (ERT) were called to assist.

On Friday morning, two Canadian Armed Forces helicopters transported the ERT across the lake and landed next to the cabin. Police were able to secure the location and safely remove the girl from the cabin. She had minor bruising and was safely transported back by helicopter to Ile a La Crosse.

The man reportedly attempted to flee the cabin but he was arrested and taken into custody. Firearms, and drugs were located in the cabin and seized. The girl has since returned to the care of her family.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing.