Efforts to search for a missing Los Angeles woman who leapt into the river to save her sister in Sequoia National Park have been shrinking as the river’s condition becomes increasingly unsafe, park officials say.
On May 25, during a trip with family and friends, 26-year-old Jomarie Kalasantz was swept by the fast river flow on the Caware River in the hilly areas of Sequoia National Park, according to a news release from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. A trained swimmer, Karasanz entered the river to save her sister Joan, as outlined in the gofundme page created by the family.
The Caware River in Sequoia National Park is dangerous and unpredictable. Above, the flood will unravel Kaweia on March 14th, 2023.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“What was supposed to be a fun, bonding moment soon turned into a traumatic event that stuck with us forever,” the family added. “The river has freed Joanne, but it is our deepest regret to inform everyone that Jomarie has not yet been discovered.”
Multi-agency searches, including search and rescue teams, dogs, underwater cameras and aerial searches, lasted nine days across the river and surrounding area. However, snowy roads melt from higher altitudes, and the high river flow rates are too dangerous for rescue staff to do a thorough search, according to the release.
“The team will reassess the next steps as the river conditions improve in the coming weeks,” the release said.
Searches continue in a limited, low-resource way until river conditions are stable.
Park officials urged visitors to move away from the river in high flow conditions and warned them of slippery rocks near the riverbank.
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