NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
INCIDENTS
Gulf Islands NS
Four Rescued, One Missing Following Boat Capsizing
Late on the evening of Sunday, May 17th, family members reported a boat overdue from a recreational trip to Horn Island, which is located within the park's Mississippi District. The vessel, a 20-foot motorboat, had five people on board, including three off-duty Ocean Springs PD officers, a spouse, and a girlfriend. Ocean Springs PD is one of the district's closest cooperating agencies. The area experienced strong thunderstorms and rough seas that day. A multi-agency search by air and boat was begun at first light on May 18th. The crew of a helicopter soon spotted the missing vessel, which was capsized off the west tip of Horn Island in park waters. None of the occupants were near the boat. While the Coast Guard and other agencies focused on searching the sea, a dozen NPS personnel searched the six islands in the area, all within park boundaries. Early on Monday afternoon, a Coast Guard helicopter spotted and rescued four survivors wearing lifejackets within a couple of miles of one another about four miles south of the NPS islands and more than ten miles from where the capsized boat was found. They were flown to a hospital in Gulfport. It is not certain at this time whether the fifth occupant managed to get a lifejacket on after the capsizing. NPS search efforts had to be suspended around mid-afternoon due to worsening sea conditions. Efforts yesterday were to focus on a continued search of the islands and surrounding shallow waters for the missing officer. Plans were to commit about a dozen park staff and another six to eight personnel from Ocean Springs PD to that search. District ranger Robert Harris is the NPS IC. Rangers will join the accident investigation efforts of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources if the accident is determined to have occurred in park waters. [Clay Jordan, Chief Ranger]
Glen Canyon NRA
Rafter Drowns In Cataract Canyon
M.D.C., 37, of Nederland, Colorado, was thrown from a raft and into Big Drop Two, a dangerous rapid, while passing through Cataract Canyon on a rafting trip on the afternoon of May 16th. He was able to hold onto the raft at first, but let go for unknown reasons. Without the raft's high flotation, he was pulled under the surface of the violent rapids and drowned. His body was recovered by a park concessioner and brought downriver, then transferred to the state medical examiner's office. [Bryan Yetter, Subdistrict Ranger]
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Rangers Join Successful Search For Seven Missing Teenagers
The park received a call from the Coast Guard yesterday morning asking for assistance in a search for seven missing teenagers. The teens had boated to the park on Monday to camp overnight, but failed to return as scheduled on Tuesday morning. Protection ranger Shad Dusseau and interpretive ranger Ehren Gross headed out in a 25-foot boat in 30 to 40 knot winds and three to five foot seas to look for the party, but failed to find them in a search of the western third of the park. Meanwhile, chief ranger Barry Munyan, while on another assignment, spotted a boat matching the description of the missing vessel anchored near the lighthouse complex. Members of the missing party were contacted by volunteer lighthouse keeper Mary Crocker, who confirmed that all seven were in good condition and waiting for storm conditions to abate. [Shad Dusseau, LE Operations Supervisor]
Yosemite NP
Search In Progress For Woman Who Fell Into River
Rangers are seeking assistance in locating a missing woman who was last seen below the Vernal Fall footbridge at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, May 18th. K.L., 31, was last seen when she fell into the Merced River below the footbridge. She is described as 6' tall, weighing 150 pounds, with light brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a maroon rain jacket, dark blue pants, light green button shirt, lightweight hiking boots, a light blue backpack, and a dragonfly necklace. Anyone with information on her should contact park investigators at 209-372-0614 or park dispatch at 209-379-1992. [Kari Cobb, Scott Gediman]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS:
Office of Public Affairs - The National Park Service has developed and made available a web site to help inform visitors about what's new in national parks this year and the many ranger led programs, activities and commercial services available.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7712" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7712
Denver Service Center - Karl von Rosenberg has been selected as the Denver Service Center's program manager for the project to restore the Elwha River ecosystem and fisheries.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2353" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2353
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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).
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