Search continues for man who jumped in river to help son

A search continued Wednesday for a man who jumped into the Chattahoochee River to help his son who was having trouble fighting the current while swimming, police said.

Chief Phillip Killingsworth told the Dothan Eagle the man, whose name has not been released, went under the water and did not resurface Tuesday. The boy was able to get out of the water safely, he said.

First responders from several agencies searched until late Tuesday for the man, who had been boating with his family. The search began again about 7 a.m. Wednesday.

“Right now we have multiple agencies from Alabama and Georgia back on the water searching for the missing man,” Dothan-Houston County EMA Director Chris Judah said. “This morning we are searching the Omussee Creek boat launch area. Georgia officials are searching just north of the area.”

The river falls under Georgia’s jurisdiction.

Agencies assisting the Columbia Police and Columbia Fire/Rescue include: the Dothan-Houston County Emergency Management, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Henry County Emergency Management, Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Houston County Dive/Rescue, Regional Land and Water, and Early County Georgia Emergency Management.