Search Continues for Drowning Victim

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Story Published: Jun 29, 2008 at 5:13 PM MST

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 10:25 PM MST

By Wes Horrocks

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For the second full-day rescuers were at Massacre Rocks State Park looking for the body of a 17-year-old young man who went missing on Friday. But low visibility, deep water, and broken equipment is making it hard.

On Friday this started as a search and rescue effort, its now turned to search and recovery. But the Power County Sheriff says they don't plan to stop searching until the body of Kord Peterson is found. Power County Sheriff, Jim Jeffries said, "Well I'm confident that we're going to keep trying."

On Friday 17-year-old Kord Peterson and about a dozen friends were cliff jumping and swimming in the Snake River at Massacre Rocks State Park, just west of American Falls.

About 7 P.M. Kord's head went under the water and never came back up. Friends jumped in the water to try and help, but were unsuccessful. Jerret Johnson, who was on the scene said, "When he went out there the kid was just pulling him under, pulling him under so he had to come back."

Deputies from the Power and Bingham County Sheriffs Offices immediately began searching for Kord, but so far divers, along with a powerful sonar boat from No. Utah haven't found him. Jeffries said, "Everyone knows that river's dangerous. And it seems like every year we lose one or two people to it."

Visibility in the water is only a few feet, and around 1 o'clock today the sonar equipment being used broke.

As they wait for news of his body family members say they're grateful for all the rescuers efforts. Jim Peterson, Kord's father said, "They've been very informative of what their efforts are. What they're finding, what they're not finding. It's been a peace of mind to have them be that way."

Kord was raised in the Pocatello area, and lived for a year near Boise. Friends in both areas have expressed support and family members say he'll be remembered as a friendly person. "And hopefully we'll get our son back," said Kord's father.

Rescuers were out on the river all afternoon, and depedning on conditions they plan to resume the search in the morning.

And here locally, some of Kord's friends will be holding a car was at the Pocatello Auto Zone in the morning. They will donate any money raised to Kord's family to help with funeral costs.

Power County Sheriff Jim Jeffries also wanted to clarify comments about deputies waiting on a rescue to investigate underage drinking.

He says the Idaho State Police were called in to investigate reports of underage drinking, but deputies with the Sheriff's Office immediately called for dive teams and started searching for Kord.

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