Divers Search For Missing Kayaker In Halifax Lake
HALIFAX (CBS) – Dive teams called off the search for a missing kayaker at Silver Lake in Halifax at 8 p.m. Friday. The man was fishing with his friend who was in a canoe when he overturned.
Phil Belcher anxiously watched with that friend. "I had a friend who was with him," said Belcher. "When he went missing they were about 50 feet away when they realized he didn't come up."
The kayaker was a 26-year-old man who friends said knew how to swim.
Belcher didn't know him, but knows of him. "I am wondering what happened. Something went wrong, that's out of the norm," said Belcher.
He said the victim was experienced on the water, but wasn't wearing a key piece of gear that could have save him.
"He was a very athletic guy. He knew what he was doing. He had been kayak fishing for a long time, but moral of the story he didn't have a P.F.D. - a personal flotation device," said Belcher
For several hours Friday, at least 28 divers from 11 different communities searched for the unidentified man. The divers said they had a difficult time seeing underwater where the kayaker disappeared.
"We know we're in roughly 40 feet of water, from what I understand the divers have difficulty with visibility anytime they are below 30 feet," Halifax Fire Chief Jason Viveiros said.
Boats and swimmers are banned from Silver Lake, but canoes and kayaks are tolerated.
Late Friday afternoon, police taped off a black car they believe belongs to the missing man.
"Life preservers like you're supposed to have would have, may have saved this person," Halifax Police Chief Ted Broderick said.
Divers will continue the search on Saturday morning.
