Update as of 5pm Friday:

Authorities have suspended the search for the two remaining tubers who are missing on the Dan River.  Crews had been on scene since 6am Friday morning and for their protection search activities have been halted.  According to Rockingham County Emergency Service Director Rodney Cates, a new crew with “fresh eyes” will be out on the water first thing in the morning.  They are still optimistic that this will be a rescue operation.

The individuals who were rescued on Thursday are as follows:

Rueben Villano – 35

Eric Villano – 14

Irene Villano – 18

Karlos Wilson – 14

The identities of the three deceased individuals who were recovered nearly three miles down stream are as follows:

Bridish Crawford – 27

Antonio Ramon – 30

Sofie Wilson – 14

The two individuals still missing are:

Teresa Villano – 35

Isiah Crawford – 7

All of the members of the part were related with most of them being from in and around Eden.  There were others in the group from Indiana.

The four individuals who were rescued spent over 19 hours clinging to their tubes before workers at the power plant located them.

We will continue to have updates as they become available.

Original Story:

(Eden, NC.) – The search will continue this morning for two people still missing after going over the dam at the Dan River Steam Station in Eden.  Calls came into to authorities from workers at the plant on Thursday afternoon around 3:30pm after they spotted several tubers stranded below the dam.  In total nine people on three rafts were a part of the group out enjoying some tubing on the river when they went over the dam late Wednesday Night.

So far four people have been rescued and as of 9:30 Thursday night search and rescue crews had found the bodies of three people.  Two are still missing after crews suspended the search due to darkness.  None of the parties involved have been identified as search and rescue efforts are ongoing.

According to Rockingham County Emergency Service Director Rodney Cates, the three bodies were found roughly 2.5-3 miles down river from the dam.  The search area expands all the way down stream to the Virginia state line.  Cates also said after getting more information from the group who was rescued that they were not wearing life jackets.

Tubing is fairly popular on that stretch of the river but normally people get out and walk around the dam area.  It is unclear at this point why this group did not follow the same path or what other factors could have played a role in the accident.

Search and rescue crews will continue the search around 6 o’clock Friday morning and Cates is hopeful it will still be a rescue operation and not a recovery one.  Crews from multiple agencies have been assisting in the search including a North Carolina Highway patrol chopper fixed with infrared camera to search for heat signatures.

We will have updates as they become available.

Photo Credit Greensboro news and record