Search Continues for Man Who Fell Out of Fishing Boat

GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo. – The Garfield County Emergency Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call at 3:51 p.m. Friday, October 14th, 2011 of a missing person in the Colorado River. The caller reported that his friend\’s boat collided with an overpass pillar and his friend was ejected into the water.

Rifle Police Department, along with Rifle Fire Protection District immediately responded to the river banks, located near the Rifle boat launch area in Rifle city limits. Rifle Police Department immediately requested Garfield County Search and Rescue, Inc. to respond.

Search dogs are helping to look for missing man.

Garfield County Search and Rescue, Inc., along with two search canines continued the search until sundown on Friday evening. At that time, Summit County Dive Teams were requested to respond to the search site at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning, where Garfield County Search and Rescue, Inc. resumed action at 8:00 a.m. this morning.

Two dogs (8 year old Dessa, a certified cadaver dog and 9 year old Rio) and their handlers, as well as, the team\’s Maravia and Zodiac water crafts were a critical part of the operation.

At this time, authorities are not releasing the identity of the missing person or the identities of his companions.

Agencies involved include: Rifle Police Department, Rifle Fire Protection District, Garfield County Search and Rescue, Inc., the Garfield County Sheriff\’s Office to include their Public Information Officers and Victim Response Team members, Summit County Water Rescue Team, Beau of Land Management and the Colorado Department of Transportation.