RIVER SEARCH CONTINUES FOR MISSING BOATER

COMMERCE -- The community that has fought the Mississippi River for some 200 years is now waiting for it to return the body of a native who disappeared following a boating accident in Cape Girardeau last week.

Relatives and friends of Ricky Wright, 42, moved their vigil to Commerce Friday after spending most of the week at Honker's Boat Dock in Cape Girardeau. Wright, a Commerce native, is presumed drowned after the boat he and four others were cruising the river in capsized last Saturday night after striking a barge just north of Honker's Boat Dock.

No one was wearing a lifejacket when the accident occurred.

Just as they have done all week, some people manned boats in a volunteer search Friday while others walked the riverbanks or used binoculars in search of any signs of the body.

"Any little thing in that river, you're going to search it out," said Wright's sister, Vicki Carroll. "I'm scared of the river, but here I am with the binoculars."

The Missouri Water Patrol has dragged the river and conducted surface searches since the accident. Officials said their search will continue until the body is recovered.

"It doesn't mean we'll be out there 24 hours a day, but we will go out everyday and conduct a surface search," said Sgt. Paul Kennedy, Missouri Water Patrol director of public information.

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department called off its search to recover Wright's body Wednesday, but an off-duty firefighter walked the riverbank Friday with a Labrador trained in cadaver recovery.

Carroll said she is glad the agencies have continued their searches because "they are the experts." She fears for the volunteers helping in the recovery efforts.

"All these people that don't do it everyday, they're risking their lives out there," she said. "It's overwhelming how nice people have been to us."

Family members said tension and frustration have continued to build as each day passes without recovering Wright's body. Also ever-present is the fear that a family member will find the body before authorities do.

"He's scared he's missed him," said Teresa Wright, whose husband, Cleo Wright, has manned a boat to search for his brother everyday since the accident. "They say they're going to be okay, but they're not, because that's their brother."

The family said they have received a tremendous amount of support from Commerce and surrounding communities since the accident. Donations of food, drinks and money for gas and other supplies have helped them maintain their vigil.

Among those collecting on the family's behalf is Tim Simmons of Commerce. Simmons, who works with several Wright family members, said he's helping because the family was supportive when his brother was lost in the river 13 years ago.

"We know what they're going through and the Wright family was right there for us, so we're going to be there for them," he said. "We just pray the body surfaces and that they find it and it gives them peace."