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Family Calls On Boaters, Fishermen To Help In Search For Missing Kayaker

BEAVER COUNTY (KDKA) -- Several family members and volunteers were out Thursday searching the shore of the Ohio River in Rochester, Beaver County, for missing kayaker 25-year-old Helene Brandy.

Brandy and her friend, 25-year-old Brittany Evans, took a selfie together shortly before their kayak went over a dam last weekend. Evans' body was recovered nearby shortly after the boating accident.

Ken Brandy, Helene's uncle, told KDKA-TV's Ralph Iannotti, "Now that the volunteers and the city and the county have pretty much scaled back their search, because they can only do so much, now we're relying on the general public, volunteers and people who come out on the rivers."

The search earlier this week involved firefighters, the waterways and game commission, and even drones, after a yellow live jacket was seen floating in the water near Leetsdale.

Helene Brandy
Helene Brandy (Photo Courtesy of Brandy Family)

But the latest search efforts, like the others, turned up no sign of Brandy.

"The longer this goes... It really puts a strain on everybody," Ken Brandy said. "It's been tough on everybody. The toughest part is just not seeing her, not getting her back."

With more boaters and fishermen expected on the rivers this long Memorial Day weekend, Brandy was urging people to be on the alert.

"Try to keep an eye out for us. If you want to volunteer and help, get down to the river, you know," he said. "The more people, the more eyes out there, the better. This is a large river, a lot of ground to cover."

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