Search continues for 2 missing teens on the Chickasawhay River in Greene Co.

GREENE COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - The search continues for two teenagers who went missing on the Chickasawhay River while swimming Saturday night.

Greene County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Trent Robertson said the 15-year-old female and 19-year-old male were swimming near the Hwy 42 bridge with two others before disappearing in the currents.

Robertson said emergency personnel responded to the river around 7 p.m. on May 20 after someone reported a group of swimmers in distress. When they arrived on the scene, a Greene County deputy and State Line volunteer firefighter pulled one person from the river, and another girl safely swam to shore. Rescuers then immediately began search and rescue efforts for the two missing teenagers.

Due to the amount of time since they disappeared in the water, Robertson said that the teens are presumed to have drowned.

“Unfortunately, this is now a recovery effort,” he said. “We are hoping to bring some closure to these families.”

According to Robertson, the area of the river where the teens went missing is not known for dangerous conditions. However, he believes elevated water levels and stronger currents than normal caught the teens unprepared.

The search for two missing teens enters day two on the Chickasawhay River in Greene County.

Both state and neighboring county emergency management and rescue agencies have responded to aid the Greene County EMA with recovery efforts.

Some of the responding agencies and individuals include:

Forrest County EMA
Jackson County EMA
Clarke County EMA
Harrison County Fire Service
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency
Mississippi Department of Wildlife
Mississippi Department of Corrections
Enterprise Water Rescue Team
Greene County Sheriff Stanley M. McLeod
State Line Mayor Willie Miller

Officials are not releasing the teens’ identities at this time.

We will continue to follow this story and update as new information is available.

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