River search for missing fisherman still ongoing

The search for the body of a 51-year-old San Luis, Ariz., man who is presumed to have drowned last week while fishing from his canoe near Pilot Knob is continuing.

According to family member Ingrid Schroder, of Minnesota, who spoke with the Imperial County Sheriff's Office early Monday afternoon, the search is ongoing and recovery teams have yet to find a body.

"We are all still hoping for a miracle," Schroder said. "We are all just still in shock and can't believe something like this happened."

Dale Schroder is believed to have drowned Thursday afternoon at about 1 p.m. Arizona time Thursday near the All American Canal in a backwater channel of the Colorado River.

A member of the victim's family reported the incident after seeing Schroder go underwater when his canoe was swept into the river's rapid currents and capsized.

The family member swam out to try and help Schroder but he was tangled up somehow and unable to be pulled free.

Divers from the Imperial and Yuma county sheriffs' offices began searching the water Thursday afternoon, but after spending four hours underwater in the channel, they could not find a body.

In addition to the divers, ICSO had deputies searching the channel banks, while the Border Patrol's Air and Marine Division searched by air and had boats on the river.

The search resumed again Friday morning with deputies from ICSO continuing to scour the shore. Border Patrol also provided boats and an air unit to assist in the search.

All three agencies had boats in the water over the weekend and conducted searches along the shoreline.

Schroder said ICSO told her that all three agencies were participating in the search again on Monday.

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James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.