KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa - Search efforts resumed Wednesday for a 70-year-old man who went missing two days after not returning from a fishing trip.
On Tuesday, April 30 at approximately 2:15 pm, the Upper Merion Township Police Department received a report from the West Norriton Police Department regarding a missing person.
The police stated that a 70-year-old man had gone for a fishing trip on Monday, April 29, 2024, but had not returned.
The man was last seen wearing a grey hat, light-colored possibly blue shirt, and grey shorts, according to police. The male was also wearing a bright orange personal floatation device.
According to the report, the missing person had traveled to the Upper Merion Township boathouse located at 400 Falls View Drive, to launch his kayak.
After conducting an investigation, it was learned that the male posted a selfie-photo to his social media account at about 12:40 pm, on Monday, April 29, 2024, while traveling upstream from the boathouse.
On the same day at around 2:00 pm, a resident who lived about 1.1 miles upstream from the Upper Merion boathouse called the Upper Merion Township Police.
The resident reported that they had heard a male calling for help in the area of the woods and Schuylkill River about 5-10 minutes before calling the police.
The Upper Merion Police responded to the heavily wooded area but could not hear or locate anyone in need of help, according to the report.
At about 4:00 pm this same date, the Upper Merion Crew Team launched their boats from the boathouse and headed upstream. Nothing out of the ordinary was reported by any of the crew members at that time, according to police.
On Tuesday, April 30, 2024, the Upper Merion Police said they located the missing boater’s Toyota RAV4 at the boathouse.
Police, Fire, and other County emergency services immediately began an extensive search along the river banks. Multiple boats and drones covered areas above and below the dam.
At approximately 4:00 pm on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, the missing boater’s kayak was located at the base of the dam, near the middle of the river, according to police.
Police say additional items associated with the missing boater were recovered snagged in a down tree approximately 1,000 feet upstream from the boathouse. Emergency services continued to look for the missing boater until 8:00 pm Tuesday night and resumed the search today, according to police.
Any information regarding this incident can be directed to the Upper Merion Township Police Department at 610-265-3232; or submit a tip via their Crimewatch page at www.uppermerionpolice.org
Our thoughts and prayers go out that they find this missing man.
If you enjoy the news and information provided by What's going on in the Lehigh Valley, please consider donating. Donations can be done through Paypal (below) or Venmo to WGOLV - or personal check. Thank you!
Advertising is also available on the website and through the social media pages of What's going on in the Lehigh Valley.