Lake Housatonic drawn down to search for missing boater

Oxford, Conn. (WTNH) - Officials drew down water levels on Lake Housatonic on Saturday, in an effort to find a boater who went missing last week.

On Saturday morning DEEP Environmental Conservation(EnCon) Police coordinated a major search in an attempt to locate Richard Fiske who was reported missing as the result of a boating accident in Oxford on November 28th.

Overnight, First Light Power, who controls the Stevenson dam and the McCallum Company who controls the Derby dam, drew down the water level of Lake Housatonic to expose as much of the lake bottom as possible.

A search began on Saturday morning consisting of EnCon Police officers in patrol boats with State Police Search and Rescue dogs on board searching on the water. The State Police Emergency Services Unit Dive Team and Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue searched the water with side scan sonar units.

Members of the Oxford, Seymour, Derby and Shelton volunteer fire departments, Seymour Police and volunteers of the New Haven Rowing Club conducted a foot search of both sides of the lowered shoreline, from the area where it is believed that Fiske went into the water to the Derby dam.

The Eagle One Search and Rescue helicopter from Stratford conducted an aerial search with an EnCon officer on board.

Search efforts failed to locate Fiske and the search was suspended at 1 p.m. on Saturday, when First Light Power had to begin releasing water that the Stevenson dam held back.

The EnCon Police will periodically continue to search the area for Fiske.