Search continues for missing man in Snake River Canyon

ALPINE, Wyo (KIFI) - A search and recovery mission continues this morning for a North Carolina man who went missing in the Snake River Canyon over the Fourth of July weekend.

A call was made to the Star Valley Search and Rescue team and Alpine Volunteer Fire Department shortly after 7:00pm on Saturday, July 4, reporting that a man from North Carolina had fallen into the Snake River near Sheep Gulch near Alpine. VS&R Commander Matt McMurdo said the group the man was with was enjoying the Fourth of July festivities at Jumping Rock, a popular spot to jump into the Snake River above the Sheep Gulch Boat Ramp, roughly 3 1/2 miles east of Alpine.

According to McMurdo, a man jumped into the river without a life jacket and began struggling against the current. Other members of his group made several attempts to rescue him, but were unsuccessful. When search and rescue teams arrived, they looked for the man until about 9:30 p.m., at which point they had to suspend the search due to the risks associated with nightfall.

"There is a lot of debris in the water near Sheep Gulch," said McMurdo. "We have a lot of resources out on the water and drones attempting to find the man, but the debris is a big factor that can deter search missions like this one."

Star Valley Search & Rescue, with assistance from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Forest Service, resumed search operations on Sunday morning and continued throughout the day using multiple drones, rafts, and jet skis. Unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful. Commander McMurdo stated that recovery operations would resume on Monday morning.

The identity of the man has not yet been released by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Local News 8 will bring updates as they become available.