RedactedNarrative: On 9/15/18 i, indiana conservation officer And ico cpl. responded to a report of a missing canoer on the driftwood river. Bartholomew county sheriff's dept. Dispatch advised they received a 911 call reference to a subject that capsized a canoe and had gone under water. They advised it was in the area just south of the driftside trailer park so cpl. and i responded to that area. Upon our arrival we located several subjects that had been canoeing and advised us that a subject in a canoe that had capsized had gone under water and had not been seen since. 
  
  Deputies from the bartholomew county sheriff's dept. Arrived on scene along with the german twp. Fire dept. While deputies obtained information from witnesses and a friend who was with the missing subject, cpl. and i proceeded to heflin park where the bartholomew county water rescue team was launching their air boat. A fire fighter with wayne twp. Fire dept. Was also en route to that location with my boat. Once my boat had arrived ico and i responded to the location up river by boat and began conducting a search with side-scan sonar equipment. 
  
  Due to the conditions in the area where the friend advised he last saw the victim, the area contained large pieces of concrete that had been put along the bank and into the river to control erosion, the sonar was ineffective. We also attempted to utilize a drag bar but due to the concrete it was also ineffective. Due to the water level, current and hazards diving was not an option. We had the franklin fire dept. With two boats, drones from several departments and isp helicopter on scene assisting with the search. We did recover a life jacket and a sandal that were stuck in a tree top that had fallen into the river.  the victims canoe was also recovered and taken to the bank. After searching for several hours we suspended the search due to darkness.
  
     on 9/16/18 the bartholomew county water rescue team and indiana conservation officers resumed the search for the victim along with assistance from the german twp. Fire dept. And columbus fire dept. We searched the area where the victim was last seen on the surface again with sonar for a short time. We then began utilizing pike poles to search the area. At approximately 11:06 hours ico was able to recover the victim with a pike pole and bring him to the surface.
  
     the victim was then transported to the staging area at heflin park where the coroner was on scene. Coroner took custody of the victim and he was transported to columbus regional hospital. Coroner concluded that the death was the result of an accidental drowning.
  
     
     from the information gathered from the witnesses, victim and subject were traveling in their canoe when it capsized. The canoe became lodged against a log that was partially sticking out of the water. They attempted to free it but were unable to. Occupant was able to swim across the river to a sand bar but Victim was in the current and was taken down stream. Victim was bobbing up and down in the water and then went under and never resurfaced. Victim had a life jacket on board the canoe but was not wearing it at the time of the incident. The lifejacket was found stuck in a tree top that had fallen into the river.
  
     the coroners report will be attached once it is received.
  