TRR photo by David Hulse Lumberland firefighters scanned the Delaware from the Hawks Nest Monday afternoon as rescue boats searched for a lost New Jersey boater. (Click for larger image)

Boater feared
lost in Delaware

By DAVID HULSE

SPARROWBUSH, NY — Hopes of rescuing a 17-year-old New Jersey boy were fading Tuesday night.

A state police helicopter, equipped with heat-sensing equipment, scanned the Delaware River in the Hawks Nest, Sparrowbush area, where Obinna Okoro and three companions overturned a commercial raft during the early afternoon of June 2.

A state police investigator said Monday that dogs were available for a land search, “but right now we’re concentrating on the water.”

National Park Service radio traffic reported that the incident occurred at Butler’s Rift, between Mongaup and the Hawks Nest, shortly before 1:00 p.m.

State police said four youths on school day trip from Union High School were involved; two girls and one other boy safely reached shore. The raft had been rented from Kittatinny Canoes of Dingmans Ferry, PA.

After an initial NPS search, fire department rescue teams from the Lumberland, Matamoras, Port Jervis, Sparrowbush and Westfall fire departments were called in to assist.

As firefighters set up a command post, Fireman’s Beach in Sparrowbush, the turbulence of the river flow, which was then running at six feet, more than twice its summer flow, was apparent.

Another capsized camper’s boat floated by and firefighters pulled two uninjured men to shore.

Searchers using a Sparrowbush Fire Department jet-ski also capsized during the afternoon and near 3:30 p.m. officials decided the river was too dangerous to continue the surface search.

A state police helicopter began an aerial search shortly thereafter, which continued into the evening. The water and air search resumed again on Tuesday, but no recovery had been made by press time.