MS MS - Zeb Hughes, 21, & Gunner Palmer, 16, Warren Co/MS River, 3 Dec 2020

[mlhenn]

United Cajun Navy

UPDATE
United Cajun Navy continued their search today with two boats with sonars and two planes.
The search has ended for the night but will start back in the morning with additional boats and several volunteers in planes. It will be a race to do as much searching as possible before the rain comes in.

 

[mlhenn]

United Cajun Navy

United Cajun Navy Mississippi

Dec 19 2020
Afternoon Update:

Due to the weather conditions that moved in, search efforts for the missing boys were called off for the day.

A strong line of thunderstorms and fog quickly moved in as 7 boats and 3 airplanes joined together in a coordinated search effort today.

United Cajun Navy and United Cajun Navy Mississippi will continue a coordinated search effort with officials tomorrow.

We will have 2 launch locations tomorrow as we are continuing to use every available resource available.

We will have at least 3 planes and 7 boats tomorrow but we could use more help searching for the boys.

If you or anyone you know has a center console boat with side sonar or equipment sonar capable of navigating the Mississippi River from Natchez, MS up to Vicksburg, MS please reach out to us.

Please let us know if you plan on helping in the search so information can be shared.

Please continue to pray for the families of the missing boys as well as the safety of search teams.

 

[mlhenn]

United Cajun Navy

DEC 20
UPDATE
Today’s search was eventually called for the day. It was too foggy for the planes to assist in the search.
4 boats were able to slowly search throughout the foggy, rainy day.
The MS River’s conditions were dangerous today.
Fog caused low visibility. Barges continued moving upriver and rock jetties were swirling.
(Photos available in post)

 

[mlhenn]

United Cajun Navy

MON UPDATE
The search for the two missing boys continued today with 2 boats equipped with sonar.
United Cajun Navy will continue assisting and searching as long as the volunteers continue signing up.

 

[mlhenn]

Officials: Two weeks later, search for missing hunters now a recovery effort

My heart hurts for these families.

After a 14-day search for two missing hunters in the Mississippi River, officials are now describing their endeavor as a recovery effort.

A dog traveling with the hunters that day has also not been found.

The boat belonging to the pair was discovered capsized on Middle Ground Island, which is about 12 miles south of where they had originally launched. Most items from inside their boat have since been recovered, including two life jackets.

 

[mlhenn]

Officials: Two weeks later, search for missing hunters now a recovery effort

Boats with sonar will continue being used in searching for the two boys.

The officials will be bringing along two cadaver dogs from Louisiana to aid them.

Pace stated that, at this time, there is no discussion of suspending the search and that official will continue until they bring closure to the Palmer and Hughes’ families.

It was also said by Pace that with the extent of the search that has been completed thus far, there is no indication that the two hunters have exited the river.

 

[Yokota-Red]

Can't help but wonder if dog shelters, humane society, animal control, or a good-hearted person have picked up any black labs somewhere off the Mississippi River, alive or deceased, this could help locate Zeb and Gunner if there is a location that the lab was found! It may be a good idea to notify all of the above mentioned, by getting different news channels and newspapers to alert more people, just a suggestion that may help!

 

[Quill]

Can't help but wonder if dog shelters, humane society, animal control, or a good-hearted person have picked up any black labs somewhere off the Mississippi River, alive or deceased, this could help locate Zeb and Gunner if there is a location that the lab was found! It may be a good idea to notify all of the above mentioned, by getting different news channels and newspapers to alert more people, just a suggestion that may help!

Great point. I will say that I feel like as small as all of these communities are and as tight knit as they are that people are aware, but you just never know. My heart hurts so much for these families. These boys are "every" boy down here. We all know someone just like them and it just makes it all the more heartbreaking.

 

[YaYa_521]

Search for Palmer and Hughes in its 19th day
December 22, 2020
The sheriff added that search and recovery efforts will continue through the holidays including Christmas Day. Chief Deputy Billy Heggins and Deputy Johnny Beauchamp have volunteered to work through the holiday along with the sheriff to help bring closure to Palmer and Hughes’ families and friends.

 

[mlhenn]

The dedication of SAR, volunteers, & LE is truly amazing.

 

[mlhenn]

Search efforts continue for two missing Copiah Co. duck hunters | WJTV


Sheriff Pace, who is leading the search efforts, said the extensive search has happened everyday during daybreak.

“The items that were recovered that were contained in the boat were contained primarily in this section from where we’re launching now to several points South of us,” said Pace.

“Unfortunately this river has taken many lives and this search operation is really no different than others. We’re just doing everything we can, everything that’s humanly possible to make this recovery,” said Pace.

Until then, the extensive search will continue.

 

[mlhenn]

United Cajun Navy

Several videos have been posted sharing the coordination of air and boat support as they continue searching for the two missing young men.

 

[mlhenn]

United Cajun Navy

December 26 2020
UPDATE:

Day 23
Saturday evening

Today's search for the missing boys continued until dark with 1 helicopter, 1 airplane and UCN volunteer boats in a coordinated search.
Numerous officials were also involved in the search.

United Cajun Navy and United Cajun Navy Mississippi showed a couple live videos to show volunteers in air and water coordination.

The helicopter covered areas that boats couldn't get to as well as assisting with giving directions for boats to search.

The airplane covered much of the river in a visual search and assisted with relaying information to our Mobile Command team on the ground.

We shared our information including search history to officials.

Please continue to keep the families in your prayers and pray for the safety of the search teams.

 

[mlhenn]

United Cajun Navy


United Cajun Navy Mississippi
UPDATE:
Early Saturday update...
United Cajun Navy Mississippi and United Cajun Navy will have at least 1 airplane and 1 helicopter covering the air along with multiple boats on the water in the search for the missing boys Saturday.
Boats from Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana will be involved in the search as well as a plane from Ferriday, La and helicopter from Baton Rouge, La.

We will have an expert on the Mississippi River system in one of the boats with 25 years of experience in the mapping and construction of the rock weirs, outflows and currents of the river.
The entire Mississippi River section in question has been divided into Zones and each boat will be responsible for running sonar in those zones, even backtracking on previous areas because of better detection devices being brought in.
We also have a boat of the same manufacturer the boys were in that was found capsized, volunteering their similar boat and sonar system this weekend.

Just to make it clear.
United Cajun Navy has been involved in the search for the missing boys for 20 of the 22 days the boys have been missing with airplanes, helicopters, boats, drones and volunteers on foot.
The last 2 days ( Christmas Eve and today Christmas) were Holidays and extreme cold and windy conditions.

We have been in contact everyday with local officials giving updates and information on our search patterns as well as giving officials access to our search data as well as offering officials rides in boats, helicopters and planes.


Out of town volunteers in this active search have been given access to hotels from our coorporate sponsors.

We have logged in more hours, funds, volunteer and corporate support on this search mission than anything we have ever been involved in outside of a major disaster.

As our name implies,
We are the
UNITED CAJUN NAVY.
We try to work with like organizations and people who want to work TOGETHER and not bash us or others.

We are still looking for volunteers with side scan or better sonar capable of navigating the Mississippi River.

 

[mlhenn]

United Cajun Navy


United Cajun Navy Mississippi
UPDATE:
Sunday evening
Day 24
An additional 2 boats joined in the coordinated search for the missing boys and all 5 are off the water for the day.
With the information that the helicopter and 5 boats turned into United Cajun Navy Mobile Command on search patterns and history, Monday's search will continue.
United Cajun Navy Mississippi has 2 confirmed boats for tomorrow, Monday, Day 25.

Please continue to pray for the families of the missing boys
as well as
the safety and guidance of volunteers involved in the search..
Thanks to everyone who has volunteered and or shared our posts on the search efforts.

Special thanks to Russel Honore,
Retired Lt. Gen., Joint Task Force Katrina, for his assistance and guidance for 16 years.
Gen. Honore put us in contact with experts from the Army Corps of Engineers who gave us valuable information on search efforts.

We still need volunteers with boats that have side scan or better sonar capable of navigating the Mississippi River.
#unitedisstrength

 

[mlhenn]

The United Cajun Navy perseveres

23 Dec
Twenty days have passed since Gunner Palmer, 16, and Zeb Hughes, 21, avid hunters from Copiah County, set out on the Mississippi River to find a good spot for duck hunting and never returned.

Twenty days of determined searching by countless emergency response professionals, who are leveraging every available resource, has yet to find closure for the families of the missing young men. Over the course of the search, officials have coordinated from several surrounding counties to deploy boats, planes, drones outfitted with infrared cameras and teams of trained search and rescue dogs in a relentless quest to leave no stone unturned until the boys are returned home.

The original United Cajun Navy was born in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Since then, the United Cajun Navy has grown to become a highly trained and widely recognized authority in emergency response and crisis intervention.

Based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the United Cajun Navy has built a massive network of volunteers and resources around its commitment to making the world a better place, one neighbor at a time.

As it relates to the current search for Gunner Palmer and Zeb Hughes, Terrell says that they are utilizing an app that the organization has been beta testing for release in the next few months. By tracking the locations and movements of his team of searchers using the app, they are able to more accurately determine what areas have been covered.

 

[mlhenn]

For Martin Pace and his deputies, Christmas is just another day to search


For more than three weeks, Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace’s days and nights have centered around the search for Gunner Palmer and Zeb Hughes, two young hunters who disappeared Dec. 3.

Earlier this week, Pace said that in his 40-plus years in law enforcement, he has never had a boating accident case draw this much attention. He has had calls from all over the country offering assistance and opinions on how to locate the missing hunters. Meanwhile, the normal calls for service have continued to pour into his office.

“He won’t give up until he resolves this or there is no possibility of recovery,” Elfer said.

 

[Razz]

For Martin Pace and his deputies, Christmas is just another day to search


For more than three weeks, Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace’s days and nights have centered around the search for Gunner Palmer and Zeb Hughes, two young hunters who disappeared Dec. 3.

Earlier this week, Pace said that in his 40-plus years in law enforcement, he has never had a boating accident case draw this much attention. He has had calls from all over the country offering assistance and opinions on how to locate the missing hunters. Meanwhile, the normal calls for service have continued to pour into his office.

“He won’t give up until he resolves this or there is no possibility of recovery,” Elfer said.

Would they do this for anyone who went into the River and didn't come back? As a family member I would be grateful but surely there are other things the Sheriff needs to be taking care of. I don't mean to sound unfeeling but....

 

[Quill]

Would they do this for anyone who went into the River and didn't come back? As a family member I would be grateful but surely there are other things the Sheriff needs to be taking care of. I don't mean to sound unfeeling but....

Yes. They would and they have.

 

[mlhenn]

Would they do this for anyone who went into the River and didn't come back? As a family member I would be grateful but surely there are other things the Sheriff needs to be taking care of. I don't mean to sound unfeeling but....

I’d have to agree with @Quill

As long as they feel there’s a chance of recovery, they’ll continue to try and bring these boys home for their mama’s to lay to rest.

That’s merely my humble opinion.