Father and 2 Daughters Missing, Feared Drowned in Georgia River

A father and his two daughters are missing, feared drowned, after swimming in the Ocmulgee River at Amerson River Park in Macon, Georgia.

According to 13WMAZ, police were alerted at around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15, to reports of a 28-year-old man, a 10-year-old girl, and a 7-year-old girl in a possible drowning incident.

“The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, Macon Bibb County Fire Department, and members of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, responded to investigate a possible drowning incident at the Amerson River Park on July 15, 2025, at 7:29 p.m., Tuesday,” the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement alongside a video of the scene.

“It was reported to deputies that a seven-year-old female, a ten-year-old female, and a twenty-eight-year-old male were in the water when they suddenly went under,” they continued.

Per 13WMAZ and 41NBC, the father went into the river after his daughters had drifted into deep waters.

PEOPLE has contacted Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and Amerson River Park for further comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“A crew from the Riverside station was immediately dispatched,” a statement by Macon-Bibb County to WGXA News confirmed. “At 7:43 pm, the dive team was dispatched, and rescue divers were on scene by 7:50 pm.”

Per WGXA News, a boat searched the Ocmulgee river for the father and his daughters, while divers were also dispatched to the location.

Due to darkness, the search had to be paused on Tuesday night, according to 13WMAZ and 41NBC.

“The search will resume at 8:00 am with our rescue divers, a boat from the Department of Natural Resources, and the Georgia State Patrol helicopter,” the statement continued.

In another Facebook post, Macon+Bibb County confirmed that Amerson River Park would remain closed on Wednesday “to allow rescue crews from the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department, Department of Natural Resources, and Georgia State Patrol continue looking for three people who may have drowned while swimming in the Ocmulgee River Tuesday evening.”

Amerson River Park also reposted the update on their page.