DPNews@DominionPost.com
MORGANTOWN — On Thursday evening, local law enforcement and emergency responders successfully located two missing individuals following an intensive search-and-rescue operation around Cheat Lake and Ravens Rock.
The incident began at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday, when deputies received a missing person report at the boat ramp located at Mont Chateau and Cheat Road. A reporting party informed deputies that she had dropped off her son and his girlfriend at the small ramp Tuesday at 8 a.m. for a planned kayaking trip to an island near Ravens Rock.
While the parties had last spoken by phone at midday Tuesday, they had agreed to reunite at the original drop-off location at sundown Thursday. When the individuals failed to arrive at the designated time, the mother contacted 911 to initiate a search.
The search-and-rescue effort involved a swift and coordinated response from several agencies, including West Virginia State Police, Morgantown Police Department, West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, Brookhaven Fire Department, Cheat Lake Fire Department, Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office, Mountainside Area Rescue Group Search and Rescue Team.
Utilizing the combined resources and expertise of these agencies, the search teams successfully located the two individuals near their original destination on the island in the vicinity of Ravens Rock. Both parties were found safe and were transported from the area without further incident.
“The successful outcome of this operation is a direct result of the seamless coordination between our local fire departments, state agencies and specialized rescue teams,” stated Sheriff Todd Forbes.
