Tourist lost in Mississippi River after wading into floodwaters to find shortcut to hotel
Published 4:44 pm Sunday, June 23, 2019
Natchez emergency responders combed the Mississippi River from 1 to 10 a.m. Sunday in search of a Bossier City, Louisiana, man who went missing after trying to cross high water on Silver Street.
However, no one had been found as of Sunday afternoon.
Natchez Fire Chief Ventris Green said a woman called for help around 1 a.m. Sunday stating she saw her partner disappear into the water around the boat landing on Silver Street where part of the road is barricaded because of flooding.
Carl King, 56, of Bossier City, was last seen walking from Natchez Under the Hill across the water near the boat ramp in an attempt to get to the Hampton Inn where he had been staying, Green said.
“He decided to take a short cut and walk back to the Hampton,” Green said. “He walked down to the levee and took off his boots and she watched him wade across on the right side and he dropped out of sight.”
Green said the woman left to call for help and King was not visible when she returned.
The Natchez Police Department, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Adams County Search and Rescue officers, the Natchez Fire Department and other responders and boat owners responded to the incident and searched through the night from the time they arrived on the scene until approximately 10 a.m. Sunday before stopping, Green said.
“The current is very high and depth perception in the water is difficult,” Green said. “You could be walking where you believe it’s shallow and then fall off an edge. … We advise everyone to stay safe and not cross the barrier. We will continue to monitor and search periodically.”