The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

August 30, 2008

Search suspended for possible New River drowning victim

By Amelia A. Pridemore

Park rangers and firefighters suspended their search for a Pennsylvania man who apparently drowned in the New River Friday.

The search for the 21-year-old will resume this morning, said Chief Ranger Gary Hartley of the New River Gorge National River.

At 4:40 p.m. Friday, authorities received the report of a possible drowning at Teays Landing, just downstream from Fayette Station, Hartley said. Members of a group from Pennsylvania were swimming in the New River when the young man tried to swim to a large rock.

The man had difficulty swimming, went under water and was not found, Hartley said.

The National Park Service, the Fayette County Swift Water Rescue Team and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department arrived at the scene, Hartley said. Their search was suspended at nightfall.

The Fayette Swift Water Rescue Team is composed of volunteer firefighters from the Oak Hill, Fayetteville, Nuttall, Ansted and Smithers departments, Hartley said.

— E-mail: apridemore@register-herald.com

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