Search continues for missing boaters at Jordan Lake

According to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, the boaters launched a canoe from the Martha's Chapel Road access around 5 p.m. on Sunday, when they were last seen.
Posted 7/7/2025, 4:25:01 PM Updated 7/7/2025, 9:35:55 PM

VIEWING AREA BRINGING YOU LIVE

TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT.

>> UNTIL THESE IMPACTS MOVE

OUT, WE WANT TO BEGIN WITH

WRAL. SHAUN GALLAGHER. HE IS

LIVE IN CHATHAM COUNTY, WHERE

ONE PERSON IS DEAD AFTER

GETTING SWEPT AWAY IN THEIR

CAR. AND SEAN CREWS ARE STILL

ALSO SEARCHING FOR 2 MISSING

BOATERS RIGHT NOW.

>> THAT'S RIGHT. AND I'M TOLD

THAT THEY'RE GONNA MAKE A

COUPLE MORE PASSES. BUT IF THE

SUN SETS AND THEY HAVEN'T FOUND

ANYTHING, THEY'RE GOING TO PACK

IT UP AND TRY AGAIN TOMORROW.

BUT TAKE A LOOK HERE BEHIND ME

AND RUN LIKE JUST HOW HIGH THE

LAKE HAS GOTTEN. YOU CAN SEE

KIND OF THOSE, PIERS, WHERE

PEOPLE WILL LAUNCH. THERE'S

WATER BETWEEN THE CEMENT AND

THOSE PEERS JUST SHOWING THAT

IT CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE

HERE. BUT IF THEY END UP GOING

HOME AND COMING BACK AGAIN

TOMORROW AND WILL PUT THE END

OF A VERY TRAGIC AND BUSY.

24 HOURS HERE IN CHATHAM

COUNTY.

>> IT WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK OF

JORDAN LAKE MONDAY, LOOKING

FOR 2 PEOPLE WHO WENT MISSING

ON A CANOE SUNDAY NIGHT.

IT WAS A GROUP FROM FISH.

AND WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR AT SOME

POINT THAT CAME BACK EMPTY.

ALL JORDAN LAKE LOOKS CALM

TODAY. CHIEF DEPUTY STEVE MAYOR

SAYS IT CAN CHANGE QUICKLY GET

LIKE TIPS ON JORDAN LAKE AND

THAT WATER CAN GET VERY CHOPPY.

IT LOOKS CALM NOW. IT'S

TREACHEROUS. AND THE LAKE WAS

FAR FROM THE ONLY TREACHEROUS

TRIBUTARY, BROADCASTIFY RADIO

TRAFFIC WAS FILLED WITH FIRST

RESPONDERS COMMUNICATING ALL

OVER THE AREA TRYING TO SAVE

PEOPLE FROM THE STORM EVER

ISSUE GOING ON. IT.

>> MAKE SURE TO PRESS YOU ON

THAT. THEY'RE DOING IT. AND I

BELIEVE IT WAS HERE AT

FARRINGTON IN HINTON ABOUT 3

AND A HALF MILES NORTH OF THE

BOAT LAUNCH WHERE CUB CREEK WAS

SURGING THAT ARE CAUSING THE

SILVER FROM THE VEHICLE.

THE CREEK SWEEPING AWAY.

83 YEAR-OLD SANDRA PORTNOY

HERSHMAN IN HER CAR HIGHWAY

PATROL FOUND HER INSIDE THE

VEHICLE ABOUT 100 FEET OFF THE

ROADWAY. ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS

TELLS ME SHE WAS FRIENDLY AND

PASSIONATE ABOUT HER FACE AND

HER FAMILY.

HOPE FOR A DIFFERENT FATE AT

JORDAN LAKE.

>> THERE'S STILL A POSSIBILITY

THAT COULD BE ON THE SHORE.

IT'S A VERY WOODED AREAS,

TREACHEROUS TERRAIN. THE

WATER'S RISING QUICKLY. WE'RE

GIVING IT EVERY EFFORT WE CAN

TO HELP THIS FAMILY BRING THEIR

LOVED ONES HOME.

>> AND SUNSET IS SCHEDULED FOR

ABOUT 08:30PM TONIGHT. SO THESE

CREWS WILL BE HERE FOR ABOUT

ANOTHER 3 HOURS ON THE WATER AS

THEY CONTINUE THEIR SEARCH.

BUT I'M TOLD IF THEY DON'T FIND

ANYTHING TONIGHT, THEY WILL BE

BACK HERE AT FIRST LIGHT SO

THAT THEY CAN GET STARTED EARLY

TOMORROW MORNING.

© WRAL