Dive team called to Houska Park to search for person in river

Witness said person in the water called for help, then disappeared

A search for a person needing help in the Mississippi River near La Crosse’s Houska Park has turned up no one yet. 

Emergency crews were sent to the river, south of the downtown bridges, around 4 p.m. Tuesday. 

A witness in the park spotted someone in the water who said he needed help but the person in the water, apparently, went under a short time later. 

Division chief Tom Wallerich of the La Crosse Fire Dept. said about 20 searchers from different agencies took to the river in boats. 

Wallerich says it’s not certain if the person in the water was male or female.

Boats were still out in the search area around sunset Tuesday. 

If no body was found by dark, the search would resume on Wednesday.