Macon officials fear 3 people, including 2 children, drown at Amerson River Park
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Three people went underwater at Amerson River Park Tuesday evening and have not been found, according to local officials.
A 28-year-old man attempted to save two girls, ages 7 and 10 years old, but all three “went under” while in the water at the park, said Chris Floore, chief communications officer for Macon-Bibb County.
Rescuers responded to the scene to search for the three people about 15 minutes after the initial report of a possible drowning, Floore said.
A person called 911 at 7:34 p.m. to report the incident. A dive crew from the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department on Riverside was dispatched at 7:43 p.m., and arrived at the scene by 7:50 p.m., according to Floore.
However, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office said first responders were called to the scene just before 7:30 p.m., according to a news release. These agencies included the sheriff’s office, fire department and Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
The sheriff’s office and fire department started searching for the victims and they were later helped by the GDNR, officials said.
“Divers searched the area where the family was located while a boat traveled along the river to look,” Floore said.
It was not immediately clear if or how the three victims were related.
“At 9:04 p.m., the search was called off because it was too dark,” Floore told The Telegraph.
Rescue divers, a boat from the GDNR and a Georgia State Patrol helicopter will continue the search Wednesday at 8 a.m., according to Floore.
Amerson River Park was set to be closed Wednesday morning while crews resumed the search.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
This story was originally published July 15, 2025 at 11:08 PM.