IFD: Search continues for missing White River kayakers in Indianapolis
Sarah NelsonUpdate: The bodies of Solomon Shirley and Marcus Robinson have been found.
INDIANAPOLIS — The search continues Wednesday for two missing kayakers last seen by witnesses in the White River near the Belmont Beach area.
The search resumed about 9 a.m. with boats and drones assisting, said Trevor Sager, a Department of Natural Resources conservation officer.
Rescuers are searching for Solomon Shirley, a 22-year-old Black man who was last seen wearing black pants and a black shirt, and Marcus Robinson, a 30-year-old Black man last seen wearing a gray shirt, gray pants and gray shoes.
“We know they got into the water, don’t know if they got out. We don't know if they’re still in the water," Sager said, encouraging anyone who sees anything noteworthy along the river to contact authorities.
Sager said the search is challenging, partly because of Emrichsville Dam and partly because of the large swath first responders are looking at.
The search will continue all day if needed until development comes or it's too dark, Sager said.
The Indianapolis Fire Department's dive team was dispatched at 8:35 p.m. Tuesday and put boats in the water near West New York and Limestone streets west of downtown Indianapolis.
A 911 caller said they saw the kayakers travel over the remnants of the low-head dam before their boats capsized and ejected the men into the water. The occupants never surfaced.
Firefighters found one blue and one orange kayak just south of the train tracks near the bank, the fire department said in a news release late Tuesday.
In the latest search, three boats were put into the water as part of the search and examined the surface, embankments and underwater using sonar equipment between Washington and 16th streets.
Drones from the Indianapolis police and fire departments also were launched to assist with the search.
All boats returned to shore at 10:15 p.m. and the search operation ended for the night at 10:46 p.m., the fire department said.
Recent rains had pushed the White River into flood stage over the weekend, but the waters had dropped below flood stage (10 feet deep) by early Tuesday morning at Michigan Street, according to the National Weather Service.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indianapolis EMS, Pike Township EMS, Fishers Fire Department dive team, Wayne Township and IUPUI Police also assisted.
The dam where kayakers went missing is known as dangerous
Emrichsville is among the city's low-head dams, often described as "drowning machines" by safety experts because of the circular current they create, which keeps people trapped underneath until the water finally pushes them out. In March 2021, the body of 17-year-old Kevin Josue Flores Rodriguez was recovered more than a week after his canoe capsized and swept over the Emrichsville Dam.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources cautions that these human-made dams can be deceivingly dangerous. Sometimes, they can be difficult to spot.
Experts say to familiarize yourself with a stream before entering the water and know if there are potential hazards.
Boaters are also warned to never paddle over a low-head dam or get too close.
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Two other men rescued in Morgan County
Earlier Tuesday afternoon the Bargersville Fire Department rescued two men who were kayaking on the White River near Waverly when their boats overturned.
The men got to a nearby sandbar and waited for firefighters and others to rescue them by boat.
The fire department encouraged people to stay off the water.
"You risk your life and those of first responders," the department said on X.
Waverly is southwest of Indianapolis.