Cajun Navy leader warns Nolan Wells’ search area has deadly ‘washing machine’ currents: ‘Lots of drownings’
MISSISSIPPI – The United Cajun Navy leader who helped search for Nolan Wells says this: This The location where the teenager was found was notorious for deadly “washer” rapids, and water conditions on the day he disappeared were far from ideal.
Wells, 18, disappeared on July 4 after a boat trip with friends to the barrier island of Horn Island. of mississippi Gulf Coast. A National Park Service ranger found her remains on the northwestern tip of the island two days later, on July 6, after crews searched the area.
Wells’ friends returned to the mainland without him that afternoon. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said investigators believe Wells chose to remain on the island. Only later that night did his mother learn of his disappearance from one of Wells’ friends and reported it to the authorities.
Search Called Off After Missing Teen Nolan Wells Found Off Mississippi Coast
Nolan Xavier Wells disappeared while boating with friends on July 4, according to authorities.
The stretch of water between Horn Island and neighboring Ship Island, where Wells was found dead, is known to locals as the “washing machine”. deadly currentsJoint Cajun Navy Deputy Chief Brian Trascher told Fox News Digital: Authorities previously told The Associated Press that foul play is not suspected.
“Yes, there’s kind of a nickname for it, and it’s because there were so many drownings in that area and on that island. And to the west, there’s Ship Island, just a few miles further west. And there’s a strong differential occurrence between those two islands,” Trascher said. “And this area is called the washing machine by the locals.”
Based on interviews with people Horn Island on July 4thThe current that day was “extremely strong,” Trascher said, adding that the water at the northwestern tip of the island could go from shallow to deep in just a few steps.
Nolan Wells’ Hometown Authorities Rally Behind Sheriff After ‘Not Doing Their Duty’ Attack
While Wells knows how to swim and swim regularly, Trascher said a strong current can overcome even an experienced swimmer, especially when panic, sun exposure or alcohol are a factor.
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Trascher said one of the biggest unresolved questions surrounding Wells’ death is what happened between 4 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. on July 4, when he was last seen, and when his body was found, which he said is still a “gaping hole” that needs to be answered.
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“I’ve heard almost no explanation, no eyewitness accounts. No one seems to have seen him after that… There don’t seem to be any photos or videos of him after that. So what happened? It wasn’t dark yet. There were still a lot of people on the island… why did he disappear and turn up dead two days later?” Trascher said. “That’s a question that needs to be asked. And I’m not saying that means there’s foul play involved. I’m just saying there’s a big hole in the story that needs to be filled.”
Former Medical Examiner Says Independent Autopsy of Nolan Wells Did Not Point to Foul Play
At Wednesday’s press conference, attorney Ben Crump explained that Wells had an area of his head with “red discoloration,” but Dr. performed an independent autopsyNo conclusion could be reached as to the cause or manner of death “pending further investigation.” The official autopsy on Wells’ death has not yet been completed.
In response to Fox News Digital’s question about the case, forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden said: head injury It does not indicate foul play.
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“So this could be from hitting something in the water. For example, there’s a lot of debris in the water. It depends on how deep it is, but this describes a really superficial impact that could occur before death or after death,” Baden said. “What he described… was a minor injury that could have been completely innocent.”
Mitchell wrote in his report that without additional information, he could not rule out the possibility that “non-accident factors contributed to or caused the death.”
Original article source: Cajun Navy leader warns of deadly ‘washing machine’ currents in Nolan Wells search area: ‘Lots of drownings’
