Search Resumes For Man Who Disappeared In Arkansas River

The search for a missing swimmer in the Arkansas River in Sand Springs resumed Thursday morning.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says Sand Springs Police notified them of a missing swimmer at the Highway 97 bridge at about 8 p.m. Wednesday.  

Trooper Ricky Humdy said a man was swimming with his girlfriend near the north bank of the Arkansas River at about 5 p.m. The girlfriend told Sand Springs Police they were camping under the Highway 97 bridge and decided to swim across the river. She said her boyfriend made it three-quarters of the way across, but went under and did not resurface.

The girlfriend called for help after she made it to the south bank. 

The OHP says they and the Army Corps of Engineers have air boats on the river searching from the Highway 97 bridge eastward.  Trooper Humdy says the Corps plans to reduce the flow of the river from Keystone Dam to help in the search effort.  

The searchers were forced to stop Wednesday evening because of darkness.