Authorities are broadening their search for three girls last seen fishing Tuesday along the Missouri River in Omaha.
Omaha Fire Battalion Chief Coby Werner told Nebraska Public Media News the recovery effort now stretches from Bellevue, north past downtown Omaha, back to where the girls were last seen at N.P. Dodge Park.
“We were searching just north and south of N.P. Dodge Park, several hundred feet to a mile or two down river," he said. "We’re really broadening it just in case the current has moved them south.”
Omaha Police confirmed Wednesday evening that two of the missing girls are 18 years old and the other one is 11. Werner said four girls went fishing and got into the water near a boat dock, then floated down the river. Only one of the girls made it out.
“The four girls were fishing just north of N.P. Dodge Park and somehow went into the water and the current swept them downstream," he said. "They tried to get out and three of them went under and did not resurface. The third one, which was a 13-year-old girl, made it to shore.”
Werner said a couple pairs of shoes were found down river of N.P. Dodge Park. Witnesses identified the shoes as belonging to one of the girls.