WREG.com

Emergency crews now in recovery phase of search for man missing in St. Francis County flood waters

NEWCASTLE, Ark. — A man is missing after riding a four-wheeler across a flooded road near the St. Francis River. A search was going on throughout the evening in the town of Newcastle near Forrest City.

Family identified the man as 20-year-old Derek Kemp.

The current swept him away, St. Francis County Sheriff Bobby May told WREG.

Search and rescue workers were out trying to find him. Emergency crews from Cross County and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission also assisted in the search.

After searching throughout the evening, officials said at 10 p.m. they were now in recovery mode rather than rescue mode.

Kemp was last seen at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

There were three other people also riding four-wheelers with the missing person, but they are OK, May said.

According to Shane Dallas of St. Francis County Emergency Management, one of the others got washed away but was able to climb to a tree, and he was rescued.

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