Search For Missing Fishermen Scaled Back

The search for fishermen Timothy Panella and Richard Skoland, who have been missing since their boat overturned on the Delaware River two weeks ago, is continuing but has been scaled back. Although diving operations have been suspended, rangers are still conducting daily boat patrols of the search area, looking for signs of the missing men. Extremely cold water temperatures suggest that the bodies of the two men are submerged somewhere within the overall search area. The New Jersey State Police and Pennsylvania State Police plan to continue daily helicopter flights over the river corridor, as their schedules permit. On Monday, April 14th, a Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Atlantic City conducted an overflight of the river corridor with a ranger on board. The Coast Guard flight provided a clear sense of the large scope and complexity of the search environment. Water clarity has improved to about six feet, but there are still many areas of the river where the depth exceeds that level of visibility. Numerous agencies and volunteer organizations have been involved in the intensive search effort since it began on April 3rd, including personnel from Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, Valley Forge National Historical Park, New Jersey State Police Marine Services Unit and its dive team, New Jersey State Police Aviation Bureau, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania State Police Aviation Division, Bushkill Fire Company, Dingman Township Volunteer Fire Company, Hemlock Farms Volunteer Fire Company, Northampton Fire Department, Port Jervis Fire Department, Portland Hook and Ladder Company, Pike County K-9, Ramapo Rescue Dog Association, and the Garden State Underwater Recovery Unit. The NPS dive team completed more than 90 operational dives from Tuesday, April 8th, through Sunday, April 13th.