COPLAY, Pa. – The search continues for a man who police say was last seen running into the Lehigh River right after authorities served him a warrant.
Crews around the region started searching the water near Whitehall, Coplay and Northampton late Thursday morning.
Investigators say the search now appears to be a recovery effort.
Police say they are notifying the man’s next-of-kin, only to find out if there’s any new information that his family has.
Investigators say they want to make sure the man hasn’t made any other contact or tried to escape the area.
“Until I recover a body. I’m not entirely satisfied that, you know, this person has had a bad outcome,” said Coplay Police Chief Ryan Emerich.
Search and recovery efforts continue for hours in Northampton Borough.
A 911 calls detailing the moments authorities lost sight of the man.
“Now it looks like he’s struggling in the river,” said dispatchers on a recording.
“They do not believe he made it entirely across the river,” said Emerich.
Emerich says between the steep terrain and the speed of the water, if a person tried to grab a hold of a branch for safety, it would rip out of the ground.
“That current is going, we saw some ducks and other animals, and they are just flying down that river,” said Emerich.
Several boats have been dispatched and investigators have been using underwater sonar.
Investigators say they’ve exhausted their options and might resume the search if they get new leads.
Police are asking for anyone with information to come forward.