The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for three children who went missing after being seen entering the Mississippi River Saturday evening.
In a statement on Sunday, the Coast Guard said it had suspended its search for the three missing children near the Crescent City Connection Bridge in New Orleans at around 7:30 p.m. that day.
The three children — two girls, aged 8 and 14, and a 15-year-old boy — had last been seen entering the water on Saturday night near the bridge.
Rescue crews searched more than 93 miles along the Mississippi River over a combined total of 55 hours, the Coast Guard said.
“The decision to suspend any search and rescue case is never easy but considering the extensive search efforts of our Coast Guard men and women, in conjunction with other response agencies, I’ve made the difficult decision to suspend our active search for the three children,” said Capt. Kelly Denning, Coast Guard Sector New Orleans commander.
“Our prayers are with the families during this difficult time," Denning said.
A number of rescue crews, including the Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew, the New Orleans Police and Fire Departments and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, were involved in the search.
