A large-scale search is underway in New Haven for a missing 13-year-old boy who jumped into the West River. The New Haven Fire Department was called to the river around 4:26 a.m. after a report of two people in the water.
Rescue Efforts
When they arrived, the 13-year-old boy had already jumped into the river. A family member jumped in after him in an attempt to rescue him, according to New Haven Fire Chief Dan Coughlin. A third family member then entered the water and rescued the adult who had gone in after the teen. The man who jumped in to rescue the teen is in stable condition.
The 13-year-old boy was last seen going through the lochs, which are mechanical water elevators used for boat navigation, in the river. The reason for the boy’s jump into the water is not known. Crews currently have three New Haven Fire Department boats on the water, a West Haven Fire Department boat assisting, and two New Haven police drones in the air. The Coast Guard has a helicopter on the way, and the Milford Dive Team is also on the way, according to Coughlin.
As of 8 a.m., the search has been ongoing for almost four hours. Coughlin said at this point, it is still a rescue operation. The heavy rain in the New Haven area will hinder the search, but crews will not stop it. The search area is roughly two to three miles long, and the strong current in the West River is making the search more complicated.
Original reporting: NBC10 Boston — read the source article.
