Monday, June 20, 2016

Search continues for missing 61-year-old after boat capsizes on Staunton River



Search continues for missing 61-year-old after boat capsizes on Staunton River
By Ashley Ann & Caren Pinto Sunday, June 19th 2016



ALTAVISTA, Va. (WSET) -- Search crews continue their search Sunday for a missing boater.


Karl Martin with the Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries says a 61-year-old man from Hurt went missing Saturday evening and his boat was found capsized on the Staunton River in Altavista.

According to investigators, the man was out enjoying the water with his family when he decided to part ways from the group and drive his motorboat further upstream. When they saw some of his personal items floating downstream a few hours later, his family members new something was wrong and immediately contacted the police.


Fire, Rescue and EMS as well as divers searched until around 10 last night and have continued all day today. The searchers have found his capsized boat, but no sign of the man driving it. He was last seen wearing a grey shirt, black shorts, and brown cowboy boots. Police are searching shorelines to see if he's made it out of the river onto shore.

Officers are also using sonar equipment, since parts of the Staunton River go as deep as 18 feet.

"What we have is we know where the boats at, were just not sure if that's were the incident happened, or if that's where the boat ended up," said Nipper. "So, our search area is still kind of broad at this point, and that's what they are looking at right now, how far to keep extending the search, with what we have down there today."

The Altavista boat landing is the closest entry point to where the incident happened, which is about 45 minutes from the landing.


Va. conservation Police are leading the search efforts.

Stay with ABC 13 News on this developing story.


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ALTAVISTA, Va. (WSET) -- The search for a missing man will resume Sunday, after emergency officials say a capsized boat has been found on the Staunton River in the Altavista area.

Emergency crews responded around 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The boat has been recovered, but not the boater, according to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

They say there is no indication that the person missing has gotten out of the water at this time.

Crews will be searching the river again tomorrow as more agencies will be called upon to help.