Crime & Safety

Search Continues at Worden's Pond for Missing Rafters

A pair of men were reported missing in South Kingstown Sunday afternoon when they didn't return from their rafting trip.

10:14 a.m.: Shortly after 10 a.m. it was confirmed that volunteer K-9 teams were being brought into the search. 

Authorities have reported that the missing males are a 49-year-old man and his 12-year-old son who are believed to have left from Taylor's Landing at Larkin Pond in an inflatable raft, planning to boat down the Chipuxet River to Worden's Pond on Sunday afternoon. It is unclear at this time whether the pair made it to the pond.

Aug. 5, 8:02 a.m.: After searching well into the night on Sunday, the search party that began at Worden's Pond in South Kingstown was expanded to include Larkin Pond and the surrounding area. 

Find out what's happening in Narragansett-South Kingstownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to authorities, fire crews searched until 1 a.m., police until 3 a.m., returning just hours later to resume their work at 6 a.m. on Monday. 

Emergency officials have set up a command center at West Kingston Elementary School on Ministerial Road.

Find out what's happening in Narragansett-South Kingstownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

11:14 p.m.: Around 11 p.m. scanner feeds report the use of K9 units as well as divers as the search for the two missing males continues at Worden's Pond in South Kingstown.

Original Report, 11:02 p.m.: State and local police, and the Coast Guard are currently conducting a search for two males at Worden's Pond in South Kingstown.

According to NBC 10, the Coast Guard have identified the pair as father and son.

Police say the two males left to go rafting on the pond around 1:30 p.m. and were expected to return by 4 p.m., but did not.

A large search crew was formed following reports of the pair missing, which included a Coast Guard helicopter to search the pond from above using infrared cameras.

At about 10:30 p.m., police and fire incident feed, Southern New England Alerts reported that the Coast Guard helicopter was being removed from the search, but ground operations continued.

Check back with Narragansett-South Kingstown Patch for more as the story develops. 


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