WASHINGTON COUNTY, IN – Two thrill-seeking paddlers decided to take their Blue River adventure to an entirely new level in Indiana Thursday.
According to Indiana Conservation Officers (ICO), the pair ‘snorted some methamphetamine’ before setting off on a 12-mile paddling journey on an inflatable raft with no life jackets, the daring duo captured the attention of the state’s law enforcement and locals alike.
The incident began Wednesday when the paddlers embarked on their journey. But the seemingly exciting expedition took a dark turn when concerned relatives reported them missing later that night. Worried for their safety, Indiana Conservation Officers sprang into action, launching a massive search operation.
For over seven intense hours, ICOs combed through the vast river landscape in pursuit of the paddlers. The rescue mission reached a climax Thursday morning when they were finally located, safe but utterly exhausted, in Harrison County, nine miles downstream from their starting point.
Officers discovered that the adventurous pair had allegedly broken into a camper along the river in Harrison County and spent the night there.
While the paddlers are now out of immediate danger, they are not off the hook. Charges are pending against them, and the legal ramifications of their ill-conceived escapade are yet to be determined.
