Human remains have been found in southern Manitoba within miles of an abandoned vehicle belonging to a missing woman, though the identity of the remains hasn't been confirmed. Morden RCMP announced Monday afternoon at about 1 p.m. the remains were located in the rural municipality of Stanley, near the community of Schanzenfeld. The community is about 100 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg near Winkler. RCMP have not identified the remains. The investigation continues. The finding comes hours after RCMP put out a call for help finding Maria Pluschnik, 25, who was last seen leaving her home in Schanzenfeld the evening of Feb. 7. Her vehicle was found abandoned south of the community on Feb. 10. RCMP Cpl. Julie Courchaine told CBC News a volunteer searcher found remains of one person in a ravine within a few miles of where Pluschnik's vehicle was located.​ Courchaine said the remains were difficult to get out from a secluded area off the road, and fire services were called in to help. On Monday night, Courchaine confirmed RCMP had suspended the search for Pluschnik. RCMP hope to provide more information Tuesday.<doc-sep>605 Shares UPDATE: 8 p.m. — Family members say the human remains found Monday near where a Manitoba woman went missing are those of Maria Pluschnik. UPDATE: 1 p.m. — RCMP have found unidentified human remains in the RM of Stanley near Schanzenfeld. Police are continuing to investigate. — EARLIER: RCMP are looking for a missing 25-year-old woman from just south of Winkler, Manitoba. Maria Pluschnik was last seen in the community of Schanzenfeld, in the RM of Stanley, the evening of February 7. Police say her green Dodge Caliber was found abandoned on Road 22 West and Road 8 North in the RM of Stanley. It appears that her vehicle had become stuck in a snow drift and had been there for some time, according to police. Pluschnik is described as having long brown hair, grey eyes and was last seen wearing a dark red winter jacket, a white scarf, boots, a toque and mitts. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asking to contact Morden RCMP at (204) 822-5469 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.<doc-sep>UPDATE: The family of a young woman who disappeared in southern Manitoba in freezing temperatures tells CTV News that human remains found Monday belong to Maria Pluschnik. RCMP said Monday afternoon human remains were found near Schanzenfeld, Man., located near Winkler. When contacted by CTV News, Pluschnik’s family said they have confirmation the remains belong to Pluschnik and were too upset to speak any further. Earlier Monday, RCMP had said Monday they were searching for Pluschnik, 25, whose car was found abandoned near her house. CTV News observed police gathering and searching an area about two to three kilometres from Pluschnik's vehicle. The Mounties confirmed the remains belonged to Pluschnik Tuesday. Pluschnik was last seen on Feb. 7 in Schanzenfeld, a community in Stanley, leaving in her car, a green Dodge Caliber. RCMP in Morden, Man., were notified about her disappearance on Feb. 9 at 12:35 p.m. EARLIER: The RCMP are searching for a missing 25-year-old woman, whose car was found abandoned in the RM of Stanley, Man. Maria Pluschnik was last seen on Feb. 7 in Schanzenfeld, a community in Stanley, leaving in her car, a green Dodge Caliber. RCMP in Morden, Man., were notified about her disappearance on Feb. 9 at 12:35 p.m. Police said on Feb. 10 her car was found on Road 22 West and Road 8 North, and that it looked like it had gotten stuck in a snow drift and had been there for some time. Pluschnik has long brown hair and grey eyes. She was last seen wearing a dark red winter jacket, a white scarf, boots, a toque and mitts. Eugenia Pluschnik is Maria’s mother. “I’m very worried right now,” she told CTV News in a phone call Monday. She said her daughter had been working in Winnipeg and moved back to the family’s home in Winkler on Wednesday, the day before she disappeared. Maria’s mother said her daughter told her she was going to McDonald’s in Winkler Thursday around 8 p.m. When she didn’t come home, she tried to contact her around 11 p.m. and said she didn’t answer. The family isn’t sure if she made it to McDonald’s. They reported her missing Saturday around 11 a.m. RCMP told CTV News in an email Monday that she left her residence alone. “She had left her cellphone at home so the RCMP currently have her phone,” said RCMP spokesperson Julie Courchaine. She said her vehicle has been recovered and the RCMP’s forensic identification unit will be processing it. It was found approximately two miles from her residence. Sunday a search was conducted by RCMP on snowmobiles and with police dog services, Courchaine said. The area surrounding where her vehicle was found was searched but nothing was found. There may be another search conducted Monday by snowmobile, RCMP said. Man who found vehicle says he feels for Pluschnik’s family Dennis Whitman said he found a Pluschnik’s vehicle Sunday. He said at the time he didn’t look for footprints because he didn’t know she was missing. He said the vehicle was parked parallel on the road and it appeared like snow plows had been by. He reported the vehicle to police. He said the nearest house was about a 15 minute walk away. He said he has a daughter and can only imagine how the family is feeling. He hopes Pluschnik is found soon. Anyone with information on Pluschnik's location is asked to call 204-822-5468 or Crime Stoppers. - With a file from CTV Winnipeg<doc-sep>
RCMP called off the search for a missing 25-year-old woman from Schanzenfeld​, Man., hours after announcing human remains were found near the small southern Manitoba community. The search for Maria Pluschnik has been called off, RCMP Cpl. Julie Courchain told CBC News Monday night. The move follows an announcement by RCMP Monday afternoon after a volunteer searcher located human remains of one person in a secluded ravine in the rural municipality of Stanley near Schanzenfeld. The remains were found within miles of where Pluschnik's abandoned vehicle was found on Sunday. RCMP have not publicly confirmed the identity of the remains. Pluschnik was last seen on the evening of Feb. 7, leaving Stanley, police said in a news release Monday. Schanzenfeld is about 100 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg, just south of Winkler. She was driving a green Dodge Caliber, which was found abandoned south of Schanzenfeld three days later, on Feb. 10, at the intersection of Road 22 W. and Road 8 N., police said. Pluschnik's family told CBC News that she had just moved back to Schanzenfeld last week after living in Winnipeg for three years. She worked in restaurants in Winnipeg and was taking culinary classes. Her family immigrated to Canada from Germany when she was about 10 years old, her brother Michael said. The night she went missing she told family she was going to McDonald's. RCMP have been searching for Pluschnik with police dogs and on snowmobile since she went missing. (Submitted by family) RCMP say they believe Pluschnik may have been headed to a business in Winkler, but officers don't believe she made it there. "It looked like she had gotten stuck in a snowdrift," RCMP Courchaine said, and it appears the vehicle may have been stuck for some time. "She had left her cellphone at home," Courchaine said. Much of southwestern Manitoba was under an extreme cold warning on Feb. 7. Temperatures dropped to a low of –25 C in Winkler. Courchaine said Pluschnik's vehicle was found just over three kilometres from her residence and just over two kilometres from other residences. Pluschnik's car was found stuck in a snow drift outside of Schanzenfeld, Man. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC ) Officers still aren't sure of the circumstances of her disappearance or if foul play may have been involved. "Right now there's nothing to indicate that they are suspicious," said Courchaine. "There's nothing that would lead us to believe that. However, things can change." Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 204-822-5469. RCMP continue to investigate.