Rescuers to resume search for missing man Sunday morning

CEDAR RAPIDS - A rescue search for a man who disappeared in the Cedar River has turned into a recovery mission.

Firefighters searched the river along Old River Road SW, about one-half mile downstream from the roller dam, for more than two hours Saturday night before calling off the search. Multiple witnesses saw the shirtless man in the water, including a fisherman who saw the man struggling as he went underwater, authorities said.

Fire Department spokesman Greg Buelow said the Latino man in his 20s reportedly tried to wade across the river with another man around 7 p.m. Some 911 callers said the man was last seen about 20 yards from the eastern shoreline.

The other man made it out of the water safely and left the scene before authorities could talk to him, Buelow said.

Rescue teams used sonar devices in the rescue operation. Buelow said the water is relatively shallow along the shore, but pockets exist with depths of up to 12 feet.

As daylight dwindled, a fisherman volunteered to use his boat in the search party. A water rescue team from Solon also assisted at the scene. Teams were pulled out of the water around 9:30 p.m. for safety reasons.

Divers with the Linn County Search and Recovery Team plan to resume the search Sunday morning.