TOPOCK — After a week of searching the site of a horrific boat crash for the last missing boater, search teams are now focusing farther down river towards Lake Havasu.
Raegan Heitzig, of Ventura, California still has not been found after six days of intensively searching the Pirate’s Cove/Topock gorge to Devil’s Elbow vicinity.
Three other missing boaters, Christine Lewis, Brian Grabowski and Kirra Drury were found earlier this week. Lewis and Drury were found near the crash site, but Grabowski was found 18 miles down river near the Chemehuevi shoreline.
Multiple agencies from California and Nevada have been assisting in the search.
The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office will continue their search for Heitzig utilizing their staff with the Division of Boating & Safety and volunteer posse members. The search will focus on shoreline and top water searches.
“After six days of continuous searching, it has been determined that we have exhausted our search efforts near the site of the collision and we will be moving our base of operations from Topock 66 Marina to the Lake Havasu City Water Safety Center,” said Sheriff spokeswoman Anita Mortensen. “This move will not impact our search efforts. This move will broaden our search area a great deal and move our focus further down river.”
The search for the missing boaters began late night Sept. 1 after two boats collided head on near Pirate’s Cove. One boat—a Hallet—was carrying 10 passengers, while another boat—Sleet Craft—has six people on board.
At the time of the crash, all boating occupants were ejected and thrown into the water. Twelve people were rescued by passing boaters and emergency crews. Two had serious to critical injuries and were airlifted to a Las Vegas hospital.
MCSO Sheriff Doug Schuster said at a press conference that neither of the 16 people on board were wearing lifejackets.
The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.
“We want to thank all of the agencies that have assisted us with our search so far, and we appreciate the support and encouragement from the community during this tragic event,” Mortensen.
We pray to you God for help to find This Young Lady, And Give Thanks for All the People Helping ???
Praying for all the involved families and boaters. Are Jordan Heitzig and Tabby Grobowsky still in the Vegas hospital. I worked in KDDH and Tulare County Health Dept. I was in the teen pregnancy program. I knew of the Grobowskies.
Maybe the search should back track to where kira and christy were found just a thought!! this is horrible my heart hurts for all of these family’s and friends! They are all in my prayers! I hope they find Reagan so family can put this beautiful angel at rest!
Recheck Topock Marina, the base is soft mud almost like quicksand, initial sonor searches which im sure have been done can go undetected because of the dense mud and water.
I think its curious indeed that boats can be allowed to navigate at all without headlights. I also know it would only be a matter of minutes before those of us on personal watercraft would be sited for not wearing a life vest. We are also not allowed to ride at night. I’ve seen huge boats with the up ended bow blocking their view traveling across the lake at 80mph in the dark.
Unclear how these boats were going too fast to see each other so close to the no wake areas between the two marinas. That’s an excellent spot for a fixed webcam. ..on the train bridge… RIP
Please find Rea rea.. family needs Closure