(Wahpeton)– The family of Collin Helmers of Estherville continues their search for the 12-year-old boy who’s been missing since October 23rd when a barge he was on sunk on West Lake Okoboji.
The Helmers family has brought in Will Kohnen from Seamagine Hydrospace Corporation of Claremont, California and a pilot, Andrew Murch of Vancouver, British Columbia to continue in the search for Collin.
This effort is privately and separately funded by the family, not from the Collin Helmers Foundation.
Currently, while the team, family and volunteer crew has worked diligently, they have been unsuccessful in their efforts to this date. The plan is to continue the search through Friday if the weather permits.
The family would like to thank all the recovery volunteers, businesses and individuals in the community for their prayers and support provided for the recovery of Collin Helmers and donations to the Collin Helmers Foundation. The money will be used to purchase equipment and provide scholarships for the training of volunteer dive and water rescue/recovery personnel.
The family has relied heavily upon and would like to thank the volunteers from the Okoboji Underwater Rescue Team and from surrounding dive teams to assist in the recovery of Collin. The family personally thanks Sheriff Greg Baloun and Tom Clary for their unrelenting efforts and assistance in the search for Collin.
They also thank everyone for continued support and prayers.
