A 20-year-old man who didn’t resurface after his canoe capsized Sunday morning in a northwest Indiana lake was still missing Monday night as authorities concluded their second day of searching.
Keegan Whaling of Valparaiso and a friend were canoeing shortly before 7 a.m. Sunday about 150 yards offshore in Long Lake, which is just north of Valparaiso, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The canoe capsized and both men fell into the water, according to IDNR.
Whaling’s friend was able to swim to shore and summon help from a nearby resident, saying he did not see Whaling make it to shore, IDNR said. It is believed he is still in the water.
No foul play is suspected, IDNR said.
Indiana Conservation Officers, members of the Porter County Dive Team and the Valparaiso Police Department used sonar, rescue divers and unmanned aerial vehicles to search for Whaling until about 10 p.m. Sunday, IDNR said.
The search continued from 8 a.m. to about 7 p.m. Monday with a boat-mounted sonar system. Divers manually checked the heavily weeded areas of the lake, but the search was hindered because divers and their gear became tangled in weeds, IDNR said.
Local
Search efforts will be scaled back due to the lake’s conditions and include Indiana Conservation Officers checking the area by boat, IDNR said.
Nearby residents and lake users will be advised of the situation so they can immediately call conservation officers at (812) 837-9536 if a body is found.
