PRINCEVILLE, N.C. — A volunteer firefighter in North Carolina disappeared Sunday afternoon while fishing with friends.
WNCT.com reported the sheriff’s office received a call at 4:10 p.m. about a possible drowning in the Tar River near Princeville. Officials are not releasing the name of the firefighter at this time.
“One of the subjects disappeared under water. Multiple agencies, state and local, are currently at the scene making every possible effort to locate the subject,” Edgecombe County Sheriff James Knight said.
Crews are using sonar equipment to locate the firefighter and dive teams are also assisting in the search.
“At this point, we classify it as a search and recovery but if it gets to where we can get any other confirmation, maybe further down the river on the bank, we’ll just deal with it at that point,” James Powell, with the Princeville Volunteer Fire Department, said.
Powell said crews are pulling together to find the firefighter.
“We appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers to assist with the family to comfort them at this time, but it’s kind of one of those things where we know we have a job to do and we’re not going to go home until our mission is accomplished.”