REDWOOD FALLS (KMHL) – Rescuers were conducting another ground and air search for a missing swimmer from Redwood Falls again yesterday, but they still have not been able to find Thunder Brothersofall, 16, of Redwood Falls.
Brothersofall went missing Sunday evening around 5:30 while swimming with friends in the Redwood River. Searchers have been out ever since.
Redwood Falls Police Chief Jason Cotner says river conditions are making the search a difficult one.
“The first challenge we have is the water, it’s very high, the currents are very erratic and it’s flowing really fast,” said Redwood Falls Police Chief Jason Cotner. “The second challenge we’re having is just the geography of the river valley itself, there are areas where the river banks are really low and close to the water and then are quickly in excess of 100 feet from the water.”
Cotner says they are doing everything they can to find Brothersofall – including consulting with experts who specialize in water searches.
“Once we lose sight of him we have no way to know where he’s moving in which direction,” said Cotner. “When you look at these surface currents sometimes they’re looping backwards against the main current, is he rolling back against the current – we just have no way to know.”
Cotner says there really is no need for volunteers to assist with the search. He says the search area is mostly the river bank, and he says the terrain conditions make that dangerous.
“Because the river banks are changing from very low to very high we don’t want untrained unequipped people out there that might slip and fall and now we’ve got a second victim,” said Cotner.
He says the search will be continuing.
