Two Missing Boaters Found Alive In Pickens County

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office says two boaters reported missing Friday were found alive along the banks of the Tombigbee River by a search effort that included local first responders and private citizens.

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Pickens County Sheriff Jordan Powell said deputies were dispatched to the Vienna Boat Ramp on Feb. 6 after the two men, who had launched their boat around 5 a.m., failed to return to their vehicle by 8 p.m..

Powell then said deputies responded alongside the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Alabama Game and Fish Division, the Carrollton Police Department and Pickens County EMS.

Before first responders were able to launch their boats, two local residents had already put their vessels in the water and were actively searching in the area where the missing men were known to fish, officials said.

A short time later, the citizens located both boaters, with one found on the riverbank and the other clinging to a tree.

Powell said both men were alive and were safely brought back to shore, where they received medical treatment.

Authorities did not immediately release information about their conditions or what led to the incident but Powell praised both the civilians and emergency personnel involved in the rescue.

“Moments like this make me incredibly proud to live in and serve Pickens County,” Powell said in a statement. “Our civilians and first responders consistently step up when they are needed most, and this was a true example of that.”

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