Boy missing after apparent drowning in Kentucky River is 16-year-old from Texas

The boy missing after an apparent drowning at Fort Boonesborough State Park in Madison County is a 16-year-old from Texas.

Officials are still searching for the boy, but Michael Stotts, with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, said the office has transitioned to a search and recovery mission.

The boy was swimming with friends in the Kentucky River Tuesday afternoon when he went under and didn’t resurface. His friends called 911, and the Whitehall Fire Department was the first of several agencies to respond.

Search efforts lasted until 8 p.m. Tuesday and resumed at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

“They picked where they left off and did a grid search. They’re continuing to search,” Stotts said.

Overnight rain did not cause any complications with the search Wednesday. Stotts said the width and length of the river present the biggest challenge.

“The search area is so vast that it just takes some time,” Stotts said.

Search officials are using drones, sonar and divers in the water in the search. Stotts said they haven’t received any detections of the boy so far.

The boy’s family is on the scene, Stotts said.



In addition to Whitehall, local agencies involved in the search include: Richmond Fire Department, Winchester Fire Department, Lexington Fire Department, Clark County Fire Department, London-Laurel Rescue, Campbellsville Fire & Rescue, Madison County EMS, Richmond Police Department, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources and Lexington Emergency Management.