Search For Missing Fisherman Called Off For the Night

(Memphis)  Family and friends stood on the boat ramp at McKeller Lake Saturday and prayed for a fisherman who disappeared on the waters earlier in the day.

Memphis Police say its 39-year-old Nehemiah Crenshaw and they’re hoping to find him alive.

“This is a rescue,” said Colonel A.C. Knight with the Memphis Police Dept. “We’re hoping that he is off the boat and there is a lot of territory out there that he could be in.”

Crenshaw’s friend said the man lived to fish and spent much of his extra time on his boat. It along, with his car were found, but Crenshaw was nowhere to be seen.

“A citizen had found the boat and brought it back to the marina to keep the boat from being swept into the [Mississippi] river,” said Knight.

One by one search and rescue boats hauled off into the distance, searching with a sense of urgency.

“Harbor patrol is out here, Shelby County Rescue Team along with [Tennessee] Wildlife and Coast Guard are on the scene and this is a rescue mission and we’re trying to find him,” he said.

No divers went into the water on Saturday. It was strictly a boat rescue. Knight said it was too early to tell if Crenshaw was fishing alone.

“We don’t know 100 percent if he was alone or not, but no, I wouldn’t recommend it on any body of water being by yourself,” said Knight. “Anything could happen and there is no one there with you.”

As night fell, the boats were called off. Family members are praying a search and rescue mission Saturday doesn’t turn into a search and recovery mission on Sunday.