“Make some noise.”
When they got to within shouting distance, D-N-R conservation officers say they knew they were on the right track.
“Make some noise! They are just beyond that tree line. How many do you have with you? Someone else and a child.”
Last Tuesday aboard inflatable tubes 30-year-old Sara Vida, her nine-year-old son Kayden Kovalcik and her 28-year-old cousin Jazman Hock pushed off from the Maple Island boat launch. When the pool floats started to leak and sink downriver, relatives say the trio waded ashore into the woods.
“I see you.! Command we got visuals. Do we have three? All three are up. We are coming guys.”
After searching for 3 days the D-N-R says conservation officer Cameron Wright and his team found footprints on the shore about 7 miles from the boat launch. A State Police K-9 team joined to assist and together they followed the tracks to the missing people.
“We got lost on the river. We went to the river, and we were on the river for four hours.”
They were cut by branches, covered with insect bites, hungry, thirsty and exhausted. But safe.
“You are not going to be able to walk very good are you? I’m forcing myself. You are going to be okay. Good job here. Good job.
DNR Facebook post with video of rescue:
