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Somerset Police Use Drone and Wade into Waist-Deep Swamp to Rescue Lost Teen and His Cats

Local residents’ reports of cries for help triggered a drone-assisted search that steered officers through the marsh to save the disoriented teen

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Overview

  • On June 22, the 19-year-old’s parents alerted the Somerset Police Department after he failed to return from a cellphone-less walk near a known swampy area
  • Local residents overheard his calls for help and notified authorities, allowing search teams to zero in on the dense wetland
  • Officers deployed a drone equipped with a speaker module to instruct the missing man to continue calling out and to pinpoint his location
  • Police waded through waist-deep water and thick reeds before using the drone’s infrared imaging to chart a safe path out with the man and his two cats
  • The rescued teen was treated for dehydration, confusion and minor cuts and is now recovering at home