Coast Guard Suspends Chickahominy River Search After Person Was Reported in the Water Near Vivi’s Mexican Restaurant and Brickyard Landing Friday Night
JAMES CITY COUNTY, VA — The Coast Guard has suspended its search of the Chickahominy River for a person reported in the water Friday night. Authorities said the person entered the river from a dock near Vivi’s Mexican Restaurant and Brickyard Landing.
Crews from Coast Guard Sector Virginia, Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City and Coast Guard Station Portsmouth searched through the night and into the weekend. The operation included land, surface and aerial efforts, and the Coast Guard said it worked with state and local partners throughout the response.
Multi-agency search covered land, water and air
The response brought together several agencies across the region as crews searched for signs of the missing person. Coast Guard personnel were joined by local and state partners in repeated sweeps of the river and surrounding area.
The Coast Guard said the search was conducted around the clock after the report came in Friday night. Air crews from Elizabeth City and boat crews from Portsmouth were part of the effort, giving responders multiple ways to cover the river and nearby shoreline.
Officials did not say how the person was reported missing or give any information about the person’s identity.
Local departments stayed in close coordination with Coast Guard crews
The search was carried out alongside the James City County Fire Department, James City County Police Department, York County Fire Rescue, City of Hampton Fire Rescue, Williamsburg Fire Department, Poquoson Fire, Camp Peary Fire Department and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
That mix of agencies reflects the size of the response and the range of resources needed for a water search. Fire and rescue crews, police and wildlife officials all contributed to the effort under Coast Guard coordination.
The agencies worked together as conditions and operational needs changed through the search period. No additional details were released about what responders found before the search was suspended.
Subsurface search work will continue with sonar equipment
Even though the Coast Guard has paused active search operations, local partner agencies will continue working below the surface. Officials said subsurface search operations using side-scan sonar and specialized equipment are set to begin Sunday.
Side-scan sonar can help crews locate objects or identify features on the river bottom that are not visible from the surface. The Coast Guard did not say how long the additional underwater work would last or what conditions might affect it.
The Chickahominy River response followed a Friday night report
The emergency began after the Coast Guard received a report that a person entered the water from a dock near the restaurant and landing area. That location sits along the Chickahominy River, where crews spent the following days searching by air, on the water and on land.
The agency said it continued the operation until suspending the search, signaling that the initial response had been exhaustive. Officials have not announced any recovery or rescue, and no further information about the person has been made public.
What the suspension means for the wider response
Suspending a Coast Guard search does not end all work at the scene, and in this case local agencies are still planning targeted underwater operations. The handoff to side-scan sonar teams suggests responders are focusing on areas where surface and aerial searches may have limited visibility.
For now, the case remains centered on the Friday night report and the coordinated response that followed. The Coast Guard has not said whether additional federal resources will return to the river later, and local partners are expected to carry out the next phase beginning Sunday.
