Search for student in Cayuga Lake suspended

Seneca County Sheriff Jack S. Stenberg reports that the water search for missing Cornell student Christopher Dennis has been suspended. “Today (Monday evening), with great sadness, after consulting with the Dennis family, we have officially suspended our water search efforts. Dennis, a 22-year-old Cornell senior who was set to graduate this past weekend, went missing from a campsite with friends overnight last week. An overturned canoe that Dennis was believed to take out on Cayuga Lake was discovered early Wednesday morning in Covert.”Since Chris went missing on Wednesday, we have employed all available land, air and water resources in our efforts to locate him without success. While our official search efforts have been suspended, we will maintain a presence on Cayuga Lake for the foreseeable future and track down any and all leads” said Sheriff Stenberg.More than 100 family and friends, as well as members from the Cornell and Ithaca communities came out Monday night to grieve and remember Christopher Dennis at Taughnnock Falls State Park.The Sheriff extends our heartfelt thank you to the Seneca County Office of Emergency Management, Cornell University Police, New York State Police, New York State Park Police, Yates, Cayuga and Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, and New York State Police Aviation Unit. The Sheriff had high praise for the volunteer fire departments that assisted in the search efforts which include the Romulus, Seneca Falls, Union Springs, Border City, Aurora, Lansing and Skaneateles Fire Departments. These volunteer firefighters gave up time through this holiday weekend to help out and we appreciate their efforts.Since Wednesday, the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office has been assisted by the Independent Search and Rescue Canine Handlers Association, the Cayuga County Highland Search and Rescue Unit, the Civil Air Patrol and East Hill Flying Club from Ithaca, New York.The Sheriff reserved his highest praise for the student and volunteer searchers from Cornell and the community. “These volunteer searchers braved difficult weather and terrain conditions and walked the majority of the shorelines on Cayuga Lake searching for their friend and classmate. They saved us countless hours which enabled us to focus on the water search” continued the Sheriff.The Sheriff asks residents and Cayuga Lake users to be vigilant in the coming weeks and report anything unusual by calling 911.