Authorities Have Exhausted Efforts To Find Vigo County Man In Wabash River

VIGO COUNTY, Ind – Indiana Conservation Officers, in conjunction with the Vigo County Emergency Management Agency, led a coordinated search of the Wabash River from Terre Haute to New Harmony on Sunday (5/19?19).

Authorities were searching for 22-year-old Trevor Hane, of Terre Haute, who went missing in the river, at Fairbanks Park on Feb. 13.

Search efforts were concentrated on visually inspecting areas of the water surface, areas where the current has deposited debris on land, and involved cadaver-detecting K-9. Indiana Conservation Officers have devoted hundreds of man hours since February conducting boat-based surface searches.

During this time the Wabash River has been at or near flood stage several times. This factor, in combination, with cold and wet weather complicated the task. Conservation Officers used various sonar technologies in the beginning stages of the search effort. The cold and wet spring weather kept recreational boating activity to near zero, which made for fewer eyes on the water.

“Our experience tells that conducting a search in moving water presents various hazards and is extremely unpredictable. We are asking the public be aware and remain vigilant as the water levels fluctuate. We have exhausted our search efforts at this point,” said Indiana Conservation Officer Max Winchell.  

Vigo County Emergency Management Agency, Sugar Creek Fire Department, Vigo County EMCOMM, Jeff-Craig Fire Department Ground Search Team, Vigo County Sheriff’s Posse, Vigo County Sheriff’s Department Drone Team, and Vigo County Search and Rescue K-9, including a K-9 handler from Ohio-Springfield Township Fire Department participated on the Vigo County portion of the Wabash River. More than 50 searchers took part. Indiana Conservation Officers searched the river by boat covering Posey, Knox, Sullivan and Vigo counties.