Search underway on Housatonic River

Salisbury (WTNH) - Search crews are looking for a teen in Salisbury after he got swept up in the Housatonic River.

From nearly 100 feet up, rescuers repelled down the falls into the churning waters to rescue several kids trapped by the raging waters.

"There was a kid down there, just barely hanging on. I put a loop around him trying to get him out of the water," said Skip Kosciusko. "He was in it, was swirling around and I was afraid he would get swept away."

Rescue teams were able to pull three kids to safety. The high school students all started asking where is Kaelan Paton;  the 16-year-old was still missing. Kosciusko knew Paton since he was a little boy.

"It was just sickening, we worked so hard and we were so happy because we were able to get these two, but then to hear there was one we didn't get, crushing you know," he said

Family huddled on the river banks waiting for any word they Payton was safe down river. One man was eating lunch and saw teens by the falls and was going to warn them not to go in.

"I remember thinking the water is running too fast and I've been here, I've swam here and it was just a bad decision on my part not to say anything," said Justin Ellison of North Cannan.

The river water is fast and shallow; boats can't get through and divers can't go in the water. It's just too dangerous. They say they are going to have to wait for the level to fall before they can put anybody into the water.

"We are going to check day by day, periodically, the conditions," said Lt. Scott Anderson of the State Police Department. "And when it is deemed safe by the divers, we will place them in the water."