Police search river after man disappears near Great Falls

Updated May 19, 2021 at 9:15 a.m

AMESVILLE— State Police are continuing to search for a man described as a 38-year old white male, who went missing in the Housatonic River on Saturday, May 15. 

As of Tuesday morning, May 18, the police said they had temporarily stopped searching the water but that the Dive Team would return on Friday, May 21. They gave no reason for the delay, but simply said it was the decision of the Dive Team. 

Lakeville Hose Company Assistant Fire Chief Jason Wilson said on Sunday, May 16, that the Lakeville Hose Company, the Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department, North Canaan Volunteer Fire Department and Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service responded to the 2:30 p.m. call of a man lost in the water on Saturday

Wilson said the incident took place near the boat launch above the falls, on Housatonic River Road in Salisbury. 

Apparently the missing man used a rope swing tied to a tree on the west bank of the river, Wilson said. According to the State Police, the man “never resurfaced after entering the water above the Great Falls Dam.”

The regional volunteer rope team and dive team also responded, at approximately 3 p.m.

Using sonar, the rescuers tried to find the missing man,to no avail. “There’s a lot of debris in there, and it’s deep,” Wilson said.

At 5 p.m., the search was turned over to the State Police Dive Team.

In addition to the State Police, the State Police Dive Team and the volunteer fire and ambulance services, support was also provided at the scene from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (which has its own police) and the regional dive and rescue teams.

The Housatonic River has proven fatally attractive to unwary swimmers and boaters through the years, with as many as three drowning deaths per year at the Great Falls and the rapids at the Bull’s Bridge area near Kent.

The Housatonic appears to be much more placid than it actually is, especially in spring when the water is at its deepest.  In addition to deep water, there are also rocks, downed trees and silty stretches, all of which poze hazards to swimmers. 

Extreme caution is recommended at these sites. State and local officials as well as nearby property owners remind visitors that parking is not allowed on the narrow roadsides near the river. When cars are parked along the shoulder of the roads, it becomes extremely difficult for emergency and rescue vehicles to get by.

Visitors are also asked not to leave trash along the sides of the rivers, and when possible to stay at public recreation areas, where there are parking areas and trash bins.

Last summer, many public recreation areas at rivers and lakes were closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, many parks and swimming areas have opened again to the public. A public access point is being planned along the Housatonic River in North Canaan but is not available yet.