Missing Boaters Identified; Search Now a Recovery Mission as Bodies May Be Drifting Toward Niagara Falls

The search for two missing individuals following a boating crash on the upper Niagara River has shifted to a recovery operation, according to New York State Park Police.

Authorities have identified the missing boaters as 66-year-old Jerome Williams of Buffalo and 46-year-old Natalie Sansivero of Grand Island.

The New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations has taken over the missing persons case.

Park Police say an extensive search of the crash site and nearby navigable waters, including surrounding shoreline areas, has already been conducted.

Despite these efforts, there has been no sign of the two individuals since their boat collided with a concrete piling near the North Grand Island Bridge late Wednesday night.

The State Park Police Marine Bureau is continuing its boating accident investigation. Certified investigators from the division will complete the reconstruction of the incident as part of the formal inquiry.

The ongoing recovery mission is now being handled through a coordinated, multi-agency effort led jointly by New York State Park Police and State Police under a unified command structure.

ORIGINAL STORY

A search and rescue effort is continuing on the upper Niagara River after a boat struck a concrete abutment and capsized near the North Grand Island Bridge on Wednesday night. Officials fear the current may have carried the two missing boaters, a man and woman in their 60s, closer to Niagara Falls due to the strong current.

According to New York State Park Police, the incident occurred around 9:40pm when the vessel reportedly collided with a cement piling that supports power transmission line towers near the New York State Power Authority water intakes.

Authorities believe the boat was traveling at speeds exceeding 50 miles per hour when the crash occurred.

Search efforts continued into the early morning hours with the assistance of at least eight law enforcement boats and the Erie County Sheriff’s Air 1 helicopter. The search was suspended around 3am and is underway again, with Park Police planning to release preliminary findings later in the day.

Because of the powerful undercurrents of the upper Niagara River, officials say it is unclear how far downstream the missing individuals may have drifted. With the crash occurring just a few miles upriver from Niagara Falls, search teams are now extending operations toward the falls themselves.

Rescuers will begin expanding their search area Thursday to include the Niagara River rapids leading to the falls, the waters surrounding Goat Island, and areas adjacent to Niagara Falls State Park.

These portions of the river are known for their treacherous conditions and where water flow accelerate dramatically as they approach the falls. Currents reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour with over 700,000 gallons of water cascading over the brink every second.

The incident remains under investigation.

Missing Boaters Identified; Search Now a Recovery Mission as Bodies May Be Drifting Toward Niagara Falls