Massive recovery effort at City Front for missing swimmer

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — A massive recovery effort is underway at City Front to find a person who went into the canal.

Just after 11 p.m., Vicksburg Warren 911 was notified that a person entered the Yazoo Diversion Canal at City Front but did not return. According to witnesses, the man went into the water, came back out, then went back in and did not return.

The Vicksburg Fire Department was the first team at City Front and immediately began a search of the shoreline. As additional units arrived, they also used flashlights and available tools to scour the waterline looking for the missing man.

The as-yet-unidentified male was at City Front with a friend, enjoying the evening. According to multiple witnesses, a challenge to go into the water was issued, and the man stripped down and entered the water. As previously mentioned, he came back out of the water, but then entered it again. He did not come back out, according to those same witnesses. One person who claimed to know the man said he could not swim.

Units from the Vicksburg Fire Department, including Chief Trey Martin, responded, along with the Vicksburg Police Department and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office put a boat in the water to aid in the search. Also assisting were three towboats who spent hours crisscrossing the canal with their powerful lights.

At the time of this report, the man has not been found.

The Vicksburg Daily News will provide more information about the event as it becomes available.