The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Police/Courts

August 31, 2008

Search to continue today in New River

By Matthew Hill

The search will continue for a fourth day today following an expansion of the search Sunday for a Pennsylvania man who may have drowned in the New River Friday afternoon, New River Gorge National River Chief Ranger Gary Hartley said.

“We’re working it now with three boats on the water. We brought in a K-9 search and rescue team that has three dogs with three handlers. The Beaver volunteer fire department’s dive team has come in to support us. We have a pretty good operation going on,” Hartley stated.

He added that the search continued until dusk Sunday to no avail and will start up again this morning with a focus on two high-probability areas downstream from where the man was last seen alive.

Rangers from the New River Gorge National River and personnel from the state Division of Natural Resources launched boats Saturday morning and searched for the missing 21-year-old man.

The search was also suspended at dusk that day. Hartley has declined to release who the possible victim is believed to be until a recovery is made.

At 4:40 p.m. Friday, authorities received a 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 reportedly tried to swim to a large rock.

The man had difficulty swimming and went under water, Hartley explained.

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