Drowning Victim's Body Found
Posted: Aug 4, 2008 6:57 AM EST By Jim Hamill
The body of a missing canoeist has been found in Snyder County. Crews had been searching the Susquehanna River near Shamokin Dam since Sunday evening when a canoe with four people inside overturned. Three people survived, but Vladyslav Mitrenko, 19, of Ukraine did not come out of the river alive.
Officials said the canoe went over the small dam in the river located at the power plant in Shamokin Dam. That made it tough for searchers to get to the body. Monday afternoon search teams covered nearly a mile of river near the dam where the canoe tipped. Officials said three of the boaters were rescued and brought to shore. Mitrenko's body is believed to still be under water.
Now the trouble seems to be treacherous water conditions. Recovery teams said the water at the dam churns so strongly, it's difficult to get divers into the water. "I'm not even sure what direction they were coming, if they were coming down river or up river. I don't know. They were in a canoe. It's going to suck a canoe down. We had rescue boats last night that would get so close they could feel the force," said Deputy Chief Bill Brown of Upper August Fire Department. "I was just sick when I heard four people were in and one lost his life. I hate to see it anytime," said Stan Margle of Elysburg.
There are buoys across the length of the dam to alert boaters of the danger. Officials said it's apparent the boaters did not heed those warnings. Officials said one of the boaters who survived is from the Selinsgrove area. The others are not from our area.
WNEP TV Scranton, PA
