WHEATLAND – The search for a missing 65-year-old Gering, Nebraska man ended around 5 p.m. Monday night, after all efforts to uncover his body were exhausted.
The man had been in a pontoon boat and jumped into the water at Grayrocks Reservoir outside Wheatland, intending to take a short swim. He never resurfaced.
Platte County dispatch center received a call for help at 11:42 a.m. Friday, July 12. The Platte County Sheriff’s Office was in charge of the search, with assistance from Platte County Search and Rescue, Torrington Volunteer Fire Department, Scotts Bluff County Dive Team, Albany County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, Guernsey Rural Fire, Wheatland Fire, Platte County Emergency Management, Capital City K9, Wyoming Game and Fish, Tip Top Search and Rescue from Sublette County, and a Colorado ROV (remotely operated vehicle) team. Basin Electric Power Cooperative, who manages the dam and pumps in the reservoir, cooperated to shut the dam and pumps off for periods of time to allow safer search conditions.

The geology of the underwater environment has contributed to the difficulty of the search. There are large rocks and many caverns underneath the area, and with no success after over 20 dives on Saturday alone by the Albany County dive team, multiple sonar and live scans, thermal drones, cadaver K9 and ROV searches in approximately 77 hours, he is assumed deceased.
Sheriff David Russell said his body possibly slipped under a rock or in one of the many caverns, and the experts on scene described the situation like finding a needle in a haystack. He added, unless the body surfaces, there is nothing more the agencies can do.
The name of the deceased will not be released by the Sheriff’s Department in respect of the family.
There were around six private individuals, and between 30 to 40 other people who assisted in the search, and the sheriff extended his thanks for everyone’s assistance and cooperation with the incident.
The Platte County Search and Rescue, who were the first searchers on site, is comprised of volunteers from the community. The group is mostly funded by donations. Anyone who is interested in volunteering their time or donating can contact the sheriff’s department or stop by one of their meetings the second Thursday of every odd month, 6 p.m. at the fire hall in Wheatland.