Duck hunters still missing after disappearing last week on Mississippi River
The search continued Tuesday for two boaters who disappeared last week on the Mississippi River.
Zeb Hughes, 21, and Gunner Palmer, 16, were reported missing Dec. 3 when they didn’t return from duck hunting near Palmira Island that afternoon, the Vicksburg Daily News previously reported. A search for them began that night.
Officials found their capsized boat in the river, about 12 miles from where they started their boating trip, WLBT reported.
“We have located most of the items we believe to have been in the boat including two lifejackets,” said Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace, the TV station reported. “In Mississippi you are not required to have the vest on, you’re required to have them in the boat ... but it appears at this time they were not wearing a life vest.”
Crews have used boats, drones and aircraft in hopes of finding Palmer and Hughes, according to Magnolia State Live.
“As of right now, we are going to cancel ground searches moving forward and strictly focus our search on the water,” Warren County Fire Coordinator Jerry Briggs said Saturday, the outlet reported. “Ground search efforts will stay discontinued until we find any additional evidence that leads us to believe they made it to the bank.”
This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 11:35 AM.