Divers search Monongahela River for man missing since last weekend
Crews are searching for a missing Washington County man along the Monongahela River, using high-tech equipment to assist them.
They are focused on a stretch of the river in the city of Monongahela under the city's bridge.
Shelby Rhodes, 26, was last seen a week ago, when the river was still covered in ice. Crews are searching the river near a spot where he was last seen, and near where his phone was found next to a canoe on the riverbank.
"It's been an all-out effort to try to recover or find the gentleman that's missing," said Monongahela City Fire Chief Aaron Leezer.
Saturday was their second day of searching, he said. They have looked on the riverbanks, but are currently focused underwater, where he said visibility has been low.
They are using an aerial drone, sonar equipment, and underwater drones that teams from Elizabeth provided.
"They're like really small submarines, basically, and they have cameras and everything on them, and they can go under and, seeing what we can't see under the ice," Leezer said.
Crews did not detect anything that warranted further investigation until 4 p.m. Saturday. They sent divers in, but they didn't find anything. At that point, they were running out of sunlight. They plan to return at 8 a.m. Sunday, Leezer said.
"Honestly, I'm trying to stay positive as much as I can," Jessica Rhodes, Shelby's sister, said.
She believes Shelby is still out there.
"I'm very hopeful he is. If they found nothing for this many hours, where is he?" Jessica Rhodes said. "If you are seeing this, please, please, please, come up."
She said there are so many people worried about him, wanting to help him.
"I want to call him a nomad," Jessica Rhodes said. "He has a heart of gold. He's a sensitive guy."