Search goes on for man who fell in Lake of the Ozarks

Missouri State Highway Patrol divers went back out to the Lake of the Ozarks around 8 a.m. Thursday to continue the search for a man who fell off a boat.

Sgt. Scott White, spokesman for MSHP Troop F, said after a preliminary investigation, troopers determined that one man fell off a boat while it was underway, between mile markers 6 and 7, around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

White said troopers conducted surface searches and underwater sonar searches Wednesday night, but did not find anything.

White said two divers used sonar equipment Thursday to first plot any anomalies they found underwater. Later they will send more dive crews to the area to search the anomalies that were recorded.

He said the area where divers searched is about 70 feet deep.

White said divers have safety concerns because the search area is in the main waterway.

“Right now the water is still really murky here at the Lake of the Ozarks and it’s in the main channel so there is some boating traffic. So once those divers get into the water, that’s going to be the main concern is for their safety and to make sure that boating traffic stays away from them,” White said.

He also said boaters need to be careful when they enter the area divers are searching. He said any wake created can rock the boat divers are in, so boaters must be at an idle speed and no wake speed if they are in the search area.

White said once crews start to dive, boaters cannot operate within 50 yards of the divers flag.

White said search-and-rescue crews plan to continue through Thursday night.