Victims of drowning identified
12/06/2010
Search continues for drowned boy after hunting trip turns tragic
COFFEY COUNTY, Kansas — The Coffey County Sheriff’s Office continues to search for a missing 11-year-old boy who is presumed to have drowned, along with his father and uncle, in a boating accident Saturday at John Redmond Reservoir outside Burlington in Coffey County.
The sheriff says the victims are Jason Allen Jenkins, 40, Jeremy Gene Jenkins, 11, and Clinton Calvin Dean Yeager, 22.
The three died after their boat capsized while the family was duck hunting.
“It’s definitely, definitely something that’s going to be tough for everybody down here,” said volunteer Nick Bess. He was one of dozens of volunteers on boats and ATVs who spent Sunday searching for the boy’s body.
“It’s something that needs to be done,” said volunteer Gary Smith. “There’s no closure on it until there is.”
The boat capsized around noon on Saturday.
The bodies of the boy’s father and uncle were found along the shoreline of the reservoir along with debris from the boat.
Authorities say the search for the boy will continue until his body his found.
“I don’t think there’s going to be any quit in us,” said Coffey County Sheriff Randy Rogers. “We’re going to stay with it as long as feasible and as long as we believe we’re making some headway because I’d like to think someone would do it if it was my child. We’re going to work as hard as we can and as diligently as we can.”
On Monday, the sheriff said searchers will utilize side scan sonar in an effort to find the child