Young Man Vanishes into Niagara River During Fishing Trip

A fishing trip with friends turned into a nightmare for a Buffalo family after an 18-year-old recent high school graduate slipped from rocks and vanished into the dangerous waters of the Niagara River.

Aung Hla, of Buffalo, disappeared Wednesday morning while fishing with five friends in a restricted section of the Niagara Gorge near the Whirlpool Park stairs, according to New York State Park Police.

Authorities said they received a report around 10:15 a.m. that a man had fallen into the river.

Witnesses said Aung, who had recently graduated from Kenmore West High School, slipped from the rocks and fell into the Lower Niagara River’s fast-moving current. He reportedly struggled to stay afloat before being swept away by the powerful rapids.

What began as a desperate rescue effort quickly grew into a massive multi-agency search. For three days, crews scoured the area by land, air and water, using helicopters, boats, jet skis and night-vision drones as they searched from the Niagara Gorge toward the mouth of the river at Lake Ontario.

By Friday, officials said the search had shifted from a rescue mission to a recovery operation.

“Our thoughts are with the young man’s family and friends during this difficult time,” New York State Park Police said in a statement.

The search involved New York State Park Police, New York State Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Border Patrol, Canadian Park Police, Erie and Niagara County aviation units and the Niagara Falls Fire Department.

Capt. Chris Rola of New York State Park Police warned that the gorge, while scenic, is extremely dangerous, especially in areas that are closed to the public.

“While it’s a beautiful area, it’s a very dangerous area if you get into the areas that are restricted,” Rola told WKBW, adding that washed-out trails made the search even more difficult.

For Aung’s loved ones, the official shift to a recovery mission has been devastating. His father, Maung Hla, said earlier this week that he was still clinging to hope that his son might have survived by holding onto something in the water.

“My belief is that my son somewhere in a stick like this, and they hold their hand and then somebody coming, help,” the grieving father told the outlet.

The tragedy has shaken the Kenmore West High School community, where Aung had graduated just last month.

School officials said they were “heartbroken” and opened the school’s Family Support Center to offer free counseling to students, staff and families affected by the news.

“This is an extremely difficult time for the entire Kenmore West High School community and we join everyone in hoping for a safe outcome while keeping his family and loved ones in our thoughts,” the school said in a statement.

The heartbreaking case is also serving as a grim warning about the dangers of the Niagara Gorge, where restricted trails and powerful currents can turn deadly in seconds.