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Debris puts search for kayaker on hold

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by Paul Glasser
March 20, 2009

 

 

Debris in the Kentucky River has hampered the search – now covering more than 15 miles – for a kayaker who’s been missing for two weeks. 

John Imes, 64 of Louisville, disappeared when his kayak overturned near the Singing Bridge. Emergency Management Director Deron Rambo said rains in eastern Kentucky have caused the Kentucky River to rise about 3 or 4 feet and have swept a lot of debris downriver.

“The river has not really gone up since the ice storm,” Rambo said. “Now all the limbs that have broken and fallen down to the banks are being flushed out.”

Technicians have analyzed about 1,000 images taken of the riverbed using sonar equipment last week. However, Rambo said the pictures didn’t offer any definitive proof of where Imes’ remains could be.

“There wasn’t anything concrete,” he said. “They didn’t see anything that stood out to them.”

Divers continued to search near the boat dock on Monday, but the search was temporarily suspended on Wednesday and Thursday because it was too dangerous with all the debris flowing downriver, Rambo said. 

Rambo said the surface search area has been expanded to cover more than 16 miles between the Singing Bridge and Elkhorn Creek, near Owen County.

Divers and sonar teams could resume the search next week if the weather and river conditions are safe, Rambo said.

It’s possible the increase in the river depth could uncover something next week because a lot of water and debris are flowing over lock and dam 4, he said. 

Rambo said he hopes the sonar crews will be able to scan the riverbed again and take a new series of pictures from different angles. 

 

 

 




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 2 Total Comments
2.
    Posted by perkins March 23, 2009
Doesn't look so insane now, does it? They found him 100 yards from where he was last seen.

1.
    Posted by watchingyou March 20, 2009
Albert Einstein once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" Why are they still searching the area near the boat dock?

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