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Search for a missing teen from DNR perspective
Search for a missing teen from DNR perspective
OZAUKEE CO. (WITI) -- Members of the DNR's "Mission Ready Team" assisted in the high-tech search for a missing 17-year-old canoeist Thursday, April 17th -- which ended in his safe recovery.
Wardens say the swift and swollen Milwaukee River can be extremely dangerous.
"The river is up over its banks, there is debris in the river that's getting washed down as well as flooded areas that are typically dry-land areas," said Sean Neverman.
Neverman took a call around midnight Thursday, informing him of the missing teen. He hooked up a flat bottom boat and headed for the river. His first thought -- I need to find this individual.
A DNR plane flew in from Oshkosh, using a thermal camera to help locate the teen. The sheriff's department mapped GPS coordinates from the boy's cell phone. Fire departments from Port Washington, Grafton and Mequon were also called in to help.
"Laptop computers in our trucks, smartphones, cell phones, as well as all these other types of technologies that we can utilize," said Neverman. "It was many different groups of individuals coming together for the same cause."
The DNR continues to warn people to stay off the Milwaukee River as it's still too high and fast-moving.
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