On Thursday, Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims, members of the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue (SAR) team and military personnel took part in a meeting to discuss potential operational plans to recover two bodies from the Kings River.
Earlier in the day, the military used its Chinook helicopter to survey the area. They captured photos, which were in addition to pictures our personnel had already taken in the last two weeks. All of the images were shared during the meeting to assess the geography and conditions of the area. Several ideas on how to best approach the recovery are being discussed. SAR will continue to consult with other experts in the field, equipment available to them, daily weather patterns and daily water flows of the river to construct a recovery plan. Sheriff Mims must approve any plan before it is placed into action.
On Wednesday, the parents of the presumed victims and members of the Thai Consulate of Los Angeles met with county leaders in southern California. Sheriff Mims sent the following written statement to the parents, letting them know the efforts she and her office are making on their behalf.
“I would like family members to know that recovering their loved ones is a top priority at my office right now. The Fresno County Sheriff Search and Rescue team has a lot of experience and is currently working to develop a plan that is safest for them to effectively do their jobs. I realize this is a difficult situation and want you to know that our goal is to recover your family members in a respectful manner as soon as an opportunity presents itself. We appreciate your patience and understanding.”
It was on July 26th that the California Highway Patrol and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office were notified of a traffic incident in Hume. A vehicle traveling on Hwy. 180 near Convict Flat went through a guard rail, off a 500 foot cliff and into the Kings River. CHP is handling the ongoing investigation into the crash. CHP immediately contacted our office to put together a plan to remove the car from the Kings River. Both agencies have since been working with the Thai Consulate of Los Angeles after developing information that the car may have been carrying a man and woman, 28 year old Pakapol Chairatnathrongporn and 24 year old Thiwadee Saengsuriyarit, from Thailand. They are currently enrolled as exchange students at the University of South Florida. Our Search and Rescue (SAR) team has since confirmed there are two people in the car, however, we cannot say with certainty who the people are until positive identifications are made.
To reiterate, recovering the bodies is a top priority, but the safety of our personnel is also a top concern and it will dictate any efforts we make moving forward with the operation. A date of when this will happen is still to be determined. The Sheriff’s Office will keep you updated of any progress with this operation.
