Search Continues on the Coosa River for 15-Year-Old Rantavious Love
The search continues for a 15-year-old boy who went missing on the Coosa River Wednesday afternoon.
The search for Rantavious Love has family members confident in a recovery.
“It couldn’t be a better turnout than what we’ve got today, to hope for the best of Rantavious Love. He will always be in my heart and I’ll always love him,” says Love’s stepfather Jimmy Young.
The search is something that is feared each year by law enforcement.
“Once a year that I know of. I’ve been here three years and this has happened all three years that I’ve been here. This current is very, very strong all of the time,” says Chief Greg Benton of the Wetumpka Police Department.
Benton says at the time that Love was swept away, the river’s current was 18 miles per hour.
“It’s my recommendation don’t swim at all. Today would be very few days that you could. If you don’t want to heed our advice, at least wear a life jacket,” says Benton.
Love was not wearing a life jacket at the time while swimming with friends who rushed for help from authorities.
“We have ALEA here flying the helicopter up and down the river banks to see if he has gotten below us or if he is still above the bridge,” says Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis.
“We have five dive teams in the water. We have three watercraft with sonar capability. We have air support and several search teams on the water,” says Benton.
Officials say the search for Love is a very thorough search on the Coosa River.
“We’re going to find a quick solution to this and do a recovery and be able to give the family that news,” says Willis.
The search for Love was suspended late Thursday afternoon due to weather but officials say they will continue thoroughly searching the river Friday morning. Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin says the search is a recovery effort now.
Elmore County EMA has also spent most of the day with search efforts helping to bring in additional divers and boats as needed.
