Family friends said a 20-year-old man went underwater and didn’t surface Saturday night.
ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — First responders continued searching Sunday morning for a person who went underwater Saturday night in the Mississippi River and didn’t surface, a spokesperson with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.
Police have not shared any information about the missing person, but family friends said the person is a 20-year-old man.
“We were advised that a subject had gone missing in the water off Mason Island last night around 9:30 p.m. They were swimming, and the subject went missing,” the highway patrol spokesperson said. “We responded for the search along with other agencies and did not locate the subject last night.”
Bob Mannecke. who is a family friend of the missing man, and several other people were near the scene when it happened.
“We are using my live scope that is very detailed with underwater structure,” said Mannecke. “We can see a small fish 50-feet away, so if we come anywhere near (him), we will definitely be able to see him.”
Mannecke and his crew searched most of the area alongside first responders Saturday night, he said.
“Our friend … comes running down the dock. He said, ‘We need a boat right now. I don’t care what boat. We need a boat right now.’ I said, ‘What for?’ He said, ‘My son is in the river. Nobody knows where he’s at, he’s missing,'” Mann said.
James, who declined to give his last name, was there when it all started, Mannecke said.
“Last night, about 9:30-9:45 (p.m.), three boys were swimming on a beach near Island 522, near (Mississippi River) mile marker 222,” James said. “The water was shallow until it wasn’t. All three boys went down, but only two came up.”
“Around 12:30 a.m.-1 a.m., first responders called off the search,” James said. “Before that, they had multiple boats, drones and helicopters actively searching. They even used sonar equipment to search in the water.”
Mannecke said the Mississippi River waters are like a second home for this family.
“They’re on the river all the time, I mean, this is like their backyard, so that’s nothing abnormal,” he said.
While Mannecke said they aren’t stopping anytime soon, the family just wants closure.
“Nothing else matters right now. If you’re on the river right here, just keep an eye out,” he said.
