Tulare County Sheriff's Office playing key role in search for 'Glee' actress Naya Rivera
TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Recovery efforts were called off for the night late on Thursday for actress Naya Rivera, but key pieces of equipment from the Central Valley continue to scan the water even after the sun sets.
"Nighttime recovery mission makes it very difficult and dangerous for our divers, but not so without side-scanning sonar so we're able keep that equipment in the water quite the length of time," says Tulare County Mike Boudreaux.
The Tulare County Sheriff's Office is one of the few agencies in the state with elite equipment that can not only search the water in the dark but can also aid in recovery efforts if they find something.
Boudreaux received a call from the Office of Emergency Services Thursday, saying Ventura County was in need of their dive teams and special technology.
He immediately got 12 of his team members on the road, including nine certified divers.
Those crews worked tirelessly alongside more than 100 members of other agencies, scouring the water for any signs of the former "Glee" star.
But even if the high-tech gear found something overnight, they'll have to wait until Friday to ensure the safety of the divers.
Those recovery efforts will continue as soon as the sun rises in the morning.
For now, the Sheriff's Office is thinking of the victim's family.
"We're hoping for closure to the family, obviously this is a very, very tragic situation," says Sheriff Boudreaux.
