UPDATE: Missing Rafters Found in SK, Safe But Dehydrated

11:43 a.m.: According to State Police, around 6 p.m. on Sunday, a woman reported her husband, Darin Peirce and 12-year-old son, Logan, missing.  She had dropped them off at approximately 1:30 p.m. at Taylor’s Landing off Kingstown Road in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.  The father and son intended to travel approximately three miles down the Chipuxet River in a 12-foot Zodiac inflatable raft outfitted with two electric motors with their final destination being a boat landing in Warden Pond.  When she had not heard from them, she responded to Warden Pond and called the South Kingstown Police Department.

At approximately 9:00 p.m., the empty Zodiac raft was found along the shore of the river approximately one-half mile downstream.  

A multi-agency search was conducted Sunday evening and concluded shortly after 11 a.m. on Sunday when the father and son were found safe, but dehydrated approximately a half mile from where the raft was found. 

UPDATE - 11:33 a.m.: At 11:30 a.m., Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police announced during a press conference that the father and son, identified as Darin Pierce, 47, and Logan Pierce, 12, have been found safe.

At approximately 11:10 a.m., the pair was found by the South Kingstown Fire and Rescue Department, approximately one-half mile in from where their inflatable raft was found, toward Ministerial Road. Colonel O’Donnell said that both males appear to be in reasonably good health, but are somewhat dehydrated. 

Because the area consists of heavy brush, arrangements are currently being made to assist the father and son.

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. 

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.

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.