Search Launched After Two Boaters Go Missing in Pickens County

Concern spread across Pickens County Thursday night after two boaters failed to return from a fishing trip, prompting a multi-agency search effort near the Vienna Boat Ramp.

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According to the Pickens County Sheriffs Office, deputies were dispatched to the ramp on February 6 after the two men had not returned to their vehicle. The men reportedly left the area around 5:00 a.m. and were still unaccounted for by 8:00 p.m., raising alarms and triggering an emergency response.

Deputies were joined by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Alabama Game and Fish, the Carrollton Police Department, and Pickens County EMS. Before first responders were able to launch their boats, two local citizens had already taken action, launching their own vessels and searching the area where the men were known to fish.

A short time later, those citizens located both men, one on the bank and the other holding onto a tree. Both were found alive and safely brought back to shore, where they received medical treatment.

In a statement, Sheriff Powell praised the response, saying moments like this highlight the strength of Pickens County. He noted that both civilians and first responders stepped up when it mattered most, calling the rescue a true example of community and service working together.