Nebraska Officials Conduct Search in Missouri River Near Omaha for Two Teenagers and a Child

OMAHA, Neb.—On Wednesday, firefighters and law enforcement initiated a search for the remains of two teenagers and a young child who vanished in the icy Missouri River waters near Omaha, Nebraska, according to fire and rescue officials.

The search operation employed several boats outfitted with sonar, a police helicopter, and drones to locate two 18-year-old women and an 11-year-old girl who entered the water on Tuesday evening while fishing from the banks of N.P. Dodge Memorial Park in northeast Omaha, said Omaha Fire Battalion Chief Coby Werner. A third girl, aged 13, managed to reach the shore by herself that evening and was treated for hypothermia at a hospital.

Authorities have not disclosed the identities of the victims. Werner mentioned that the four girls are related, though he could not specify their relationship. He also noted that the reasons for their entry into the water, which was approximately 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 degrees Celsius) on Wednesday, remain unclear.

“With water temperatures at 45 degrees, you can start feeling the effects of hypothermia in about 10 to 15 minutes,” Werner explained.

A park visitor heard a girl crying near the riverbank around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, located the 13-year-old, and subsequently called 911, he reported.

Officials from various agencies within the Omaha area responded to the park and searched the river until darkness fell approximately three hours later. The search operation resumed at around 9 a.m. Wednesday.

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“As of this morning, we have transitioned to a recovery effort,” Werner stated. “This doesn’t imply that we are diminishing our efforts; rather, it suggests that we will be proceeding with a more systematic approach.”