River search ends; no missing person reported

The search for a body in the Kansas River near Eudora ended Thursday.

Searchers from Lawrence and Leavenworth County comb the banks of the Kansas River for a body. None was found and the search was called off Thursday.

Rescue crews began searching the river Wednesday night but quit about noon Thursday, having found no evidence of a mishap or a body.

The search began after officials received a report of a person falling off a jet ski and being swept away by the currents.

A Eudora man and his son driving across a nearby bridge reported seeing a riderless jet ski and a person floating with the stream.

There were no corroborating reports or evidence of a missing person. So after hours of searching produced nothing, the hunt was abandoned.

“Surrounding law enforcement agencies were contacted and no missing person reports had been made,” Douglas County Sheriff Lt. Doug Woods said. “Area boat ramps were also checked by law enforcement officials and no unattended vehicles were located.”

Wednesday night, several area law enforcement and emergency officials were at the site assisting Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical. A Leavenworth County water rescue unit, Eudora Police, Eudora Emergency Medical Service, Eudora Township and Eudora City fire units, and the Reno Township fire department from Leavenworth County all pitched in.

A Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical crew continued the search Thursday morning.

The Kansas River is most popular among fishermen, airboaters, canoeists and kayakers. But people have been known to jet ski along the river, too.

“It’s kind of dangerous because of the sandbars,” Kansas Riverkeeper Laura Calwell said. “But the sandbars are pretty well under water right now because the water is high. So they would be less of a problem.”

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks conservation officer David Hoffman also said that the Kansas River is in the public domain. That means any Kansas resident can use the river for recreational purposes.

Portions of the Kansas River are deep enough to handle jet skiing and pleasure boating, Hoffman said.