The Knoxville Fire Department has decided to reduce its recovery efforts for a swimmer who has been missing for over a week at Augusta Quarry, as reported by WVLT. The search, initially triggered by a possible drowning report on June 14, has encompassed more than 80 hours of meticulous searching by various emergency crews, yet no trace of the victim has been found.
According to WATE, the Knoxville Volunteer Rescue Squad, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and the Blount County Rescue Squad have all been part of the extensive search operations. Utilizing advanced technology such as underwater remotely operated vehicles, sonar, surface boats, and shoreline sweeps, the teams have scoured the quarry waters and its edges. Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks expressed his unwavering commitment to the recovery efforts, emphasizing, "We remain dedicated to doing everything we can to bring resolution to this situation."
Further intensifying the response, the Knoxville Police Department has been involved in conducting an investigation into the incident in conjunction with the other agencies, per a statement obtained by WBIR. This collaboration has been termed "critical" by Wilbanks amid the challenging operation.
The decision to scale back comes after a period of intense and ultimately fruitless search efforts. However, Wilbanks assures the public and the concerned parties that the department will continue to monitor the situation and assess next steps in consultation with all the responding agencies. The community's gratitude was extended to partner agencies and especially the Knoxville Police Department, for their investigative efforts supporting the rescue operation, which have been instrumental throughout the search.
