Crime & Safety

High Farmington River Levels Stall Search for Missing Tuber

Officials wait for water to recede before resuming full search for Nasir Alam, of East Hartford.

With Farmington River levels still too high and strong to launch rescue boats, police and fire officials have scaled back search efforts for a missing tuber until the water recedes. 

About 10 Farmington police officers and Tunxis Hose firefighters were on scene Thursday planning, searching and surveying the area near the spot where Nasir Alam, 25, of East Hartford, and six others launched tubes Tuesday, according to Farmington Police Lt. Marshall Porter. Officials are waiting for waters to recede before continuing a full search, he said Thursday. 

Farmington and Avon police and fire personnel searched for Alam until 9 p.m. on Tuesday and from about 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Newington Emergency Services crews were also on scene. The search party also brought in a dog that can detect human scent to help locate Nasir Alam. State police helicopters searched over the river.

After a sudden thunder and rain storm unleashed heavy winds late Tuesday afternoon, the rapids grew fierce. Soon after the 20-year-olds started tubing on the river near the Route 4 portion of Rails to Trails in Farmington before the Burlington town line, the fast and rising waters overtook their tubes and capsized them.

Daniel Lisiewski, Nazar Volyanik and Robert Niemczyk, all 22 and from Newington, Ryszard Czuprynski and Shelby Partyka, both 20 and from New Britain, and Sebastian Wlazniak, 22, of Wethersfield, were rescued from the river and some were treated for minor injuries. But Alam still has not been found as of Thursday at 4 p.m.

The group was tubing independently and police said they weren't wearing life jackets.

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Some of the tubers waited with Nasir's father, sister and other family members on Wednesday, waiting for an update. 

"He don't swim," Shah Alam, Nasir's father, told Patch on Wednesday. "Everybody's tube was rolling around five, six times."

Find out what's happening in Farmingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Alam said that a boy named Richard in the group of tubers tried to grab Nasir's hand and pull him out, but "the water pushed him down." WFSB and the Hartford Courant reported that Richard Czuprynski, one of the rescued tubers identified as Ryszard Czuprynski in the police report, said that the group got separated. He saw Nasir capsize, but told WFSB that the waters were too strong and prevented him from getting to Nasir. 

Teary-eyed, Shah Alam hoped for good news and prayed, asking others to do the same and "keep an eye on the river" for his son. 

"I hope he's safe," Shah Alam said Wednesday. "I hope he's okay. I hope he's coming soon." 


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