Search Underway for 2 Missing Women After Group of 12 Falls Over Va. Dam

Alexandra Schonfeld
·2 min read

The search continues for two women who are missing after a group of 12 kayakers went over Bosher's Dam on James River in Richmond, Virginia on Monday, authorities say.

"The search resumed this morning at 7 a.m.," a spokesperson for Richmond Fire & Emergency Services tells PEOPLE. "Currently, there are no updates on the missing women."

The women have been identified as Lauren E. Winstead, 23, of Henrico County, and Sarah E. Erway, 28, of Chesterfield County, Henrico Police said in a news release on Monday.

"Multi-agency search underway while officials are getting updates from those in the field actively searching for two missing females by air, water, and on foot," police tweeted just before 9 a.m. Tuesday. "Please remember that portions of the James river is at dangerous levels and anyone entering should use extreme caution!"

Richmond Fire Department Assistant Chief Jeffrey Segal said in a press conference Monday night that a report came in of kayakers being stranded in the river around 3:13 p.m. on Memorial Day.

A press release said the group was "in distress near Bosher's damn after 12 people set out upriver to float along the river earlier in the afternoon."

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With the assistance of civilian kayakers, authorities were able to rescue nine people, not including a person who "self-rescued" and the two women who have been unaccounted for, Segal said.

"After a very thorough search today, this evening, we ceased operations this evening because of nightfall. We will start our search efforts tomorrow morning, first thing in the morning," Segal said Monday night.

At the time, he said the department was "very hopeful" and he would not classify the efforts as a "recovery mission."

Segal said authorities weren't sure which types of flotation devices the group had been using. Some folks who were kayaking knew one another, but authorities didn't have the details, Segal added.

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Drone footage from Monday night shows kayaks and other flotation devices stuck by the dam, local ABC station WRIC reported.

According to the station, the dam has a 12-foot drop.