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Search Effort On James Involved Multiple Agencies
A search mission on the James River ended Sunday with the discovery of a 20-year-old woman’s body after her kayak overturned near Glasgow the day before.
Octavia M. Richardson, a Buena Vista resident, was kayaking with a friend late Saturday afternoon when both kayaks capsized shortly before sunset, according to a spokeswoman with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Her friend managed to make it to shore and was treated for hypothermia, but efforts to locate Richardson were unsuccessful Saturday night.
The Glasgow Fire Department was the first to arrive on scene at around 5:30, according to Rockbridge County Fire-Rescue Chief Nathan Ramsey.
Emergency crews from across the region, including local fire departments from Buena Vista, Rockbridge Baths, and Harrisonburg, began the search. It included the use of drones, helicopters, and water rescue teams, and continued until around 10:30 p.m., said Ramsey.
The search resumed at 9 a.m. Sunday, with numerous agencies assisting, including the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and Virginia Conservation Police, Bedford County Special Operations, and Virginia State Police aviation and dive teams.
After nearly 24 hours of searching, Richardson’s body was located under 6 feet of water around 4:15 p.m. near Locher Landing.
Neither Richardson nor her companion was wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident, according to the statement from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Richardson’s body, according to the statement, was transported to a local funeral home, where staff from the medical examiner’s office in Roanoke will determine the cause of death.
