Niagara Falls, N.Y. (WBEN) - New York State Park Police enter their second day of searching for a missing teenage fisherman, who fell into the Lower Niagara River on Wednesday.
State Park Police Cpt. Chris Rola says Aung Hla, 18, had gone out with five of his other friends to do some fishing in the Lower Niagara River. Unfortunately, they had entered a restricted area on the rocks there, and that's where he slipped in.
Rola says the area Hla was in is restricted.
"It is very dangerous just due to the fact that those rocks they get wet, they get algae on them, and it's just not something that's really safe to be be walking around on with the rapids and the waves that are down there, it can knock knock you off those rocks at any time," said Rola in an interview with WBEN. "The rapids are really moving through that section after the Horseshoe Falls and American Falls all through there. There's quite a bit of large boulders, and the water just really goes right through there quick."
He says the concentration of our search is from the Whirlpool Stairs to Fort Niagara State Park, which is the mouth of Lake Ontario where the river comes out. He anticipates the search may eventually become a recovery mission.
"There's a lot of resources, and we're just hoping that we can bring some closure to the family," Rola said.
