Particle.news

21-Year-Old Reported Missing at Fort Yargo Found Safe After Search

The case underscores how sonar and dive teams are used to locate people in small park lakes.

Overview

  • A 21-year-old woman was reported missing at Fort Yargo State Park after 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday and prompted an immediate search of the park.
  • State search teams closed most of the park and deployed Georgia Department of Natural Resources game wardens along with dive crews to scan the park’s 26-acre lake with side-scan sonar.
  • Winder Police circulated a physical description and the clothing she was last seen wearing and asked the public to call 911 or the Winder tip line at (678) 425-6849 with information.
  • Police said the woman, identified in reports as Erica Gibson, was located safe in the Atlanta area on Friday after investigators followed leads that put her outside the park.
  • Fort Yargo’s water search shows the operational complexity of underwater searches in small recreational lakes and the role of coordinated state and local teams in missing-person responses.