Search called off for missing Prospect Heights man
The search for a Prospect Heights man who fell into the Des Plaines River Saturday evening was called off Sunday morning, said Cook County Forest Preserve District spokesman Steve Mayberry.
Mayberry said Cook County Forest Preserve and Wheeling police resumed the search of the area near Dam No. 1 at Hintz Road and Milwaukee Avenue, using boats and sonar technology, on Sunday at 5:30 a.m., but ended the search around 9 a.m. without having found Gavino Alvarez-Diego.
The Prospect Heights resident, born in 1974, was attending a picnic east of the Des Plaines River on Saturday when he fell into the water north of Dam No. 1 at about 5 p.m. Mayberry said witnesses reported that Alvarez-Diego was in the water south of the dam.
A search was conducted Saturday, Mayberry said. Authorities were on the scene well into the evening.
Mayberry said the Cook County Forest Preserve police are continuing to patrol as normal, but there is no official search at this point. Wheeling police officials have left the search.
"If there was a body in the water to be found, it would likely not be alive. If by chance (the victim was alive but disoriented), we would consider ourselves very fortunate."
<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=301932">Divers search for man in Des Plaines River <span class="date">[06/21/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>