10:30 a.m. update
COLUMBUS, Ind. — Searchers are utilizing boats, underwater and air drones and side scan sonar to find a missing 11-year-old girl who disappeared in the East Fork White River at about 6:39 p.m. Tuesday near Mill Race Park.
Lt. Angie Goldman, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, said there are currently seven boats in the water searching for the girl. The search is in a recovery mode at this point.
Agencies assisting the DNR include the Bartholomew County Water Rescue team, Columbus Fire Department, Columbus Township, Harrison Township and Wayne Township fire departments, the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office providing support with drones.
Searchers are combing the low-head dam area near Columbus’ two bridges downtown and also areas in the river that have log jams or other barriers.
Goldman said the river is at an average depth for this time of year, not at flood stage, although the water depth does fluctuate based on the river bottom.
The area where the girl disappeared is believed to be about 10 feet deep.
This story will be updated.
9:30 a.m. update
COLUMBUS, Ind. — Searchers are continuing to search the East Fork White River near Mill Race Park Wednesday morning in a recovery mission to find a missing 11-year-old who disappeared in the river at about 6:39 p.m. Tuesday.
Some of the first responders are focusing on the area of the low-head dam near the State Road 46 bridges, in which part of the dam’s deteriorating structure is visible above the water.
This story will be updated
ORIGINAL STORY
COLUMBUS, Ind. — The search of the East Fork White River near Mill Race Park for a missing 11-year-old girl is set to resume this morning, according to first responders. Search efforts have now transitioned to a recovery, according to searchers. Mill Race Park will be closed to the public Wednesday during search operations.
At approximately 6:39 p.m. Tuesday, first responders were called to Mill Race Park for a water rescue involving a missing child last seen in the East Fork of the White River. Columbus Police officers arrived on the scene and were advised by bystanders that a child was swept away and bystanders lost sight of her.
Columbus firefighters and the Bartholomew County Water Rescue Team soon arrived on the scene and launched three boats to search the river. Search operations were conducted into the dark over a period of four hours and including dive operations.
Columbus firefighters, police, the Department of Natural Resources and the Bartholomew County Water Rescue team worked at the scene Tuesday night.
First responders said the family of the 11-year-old is from Columbus, and also told the searchers the girl did not know how to swim. She was not wearing a life jacket, according to information first responders received.
On Tuesday night, first responders received information about the location of the last known point where the child was last seen. First responders noted the river water is murky and those who enter the river often cannot see the bottom of the river. The bottom of the river as it goes through Mill Race Park has shallow areas that give way to deep pools of water that individuals can lose contact with the bottom with one step. It also has trees and other debris along the bottom that cannot be seen from the surface.
The river currently does have some current, and the area where the child disappeared is believed to be about 10 feet deep, first responders said.
A Columbus Regional Health ambulance did assist an adult male who was at the scene searching for the child after she disappeared and he is in stable condition, according to first responders.
