Search continues for body in Brush Creek in North Huntingdon

The search for a body along Brush Creek in North Huntingdon Township has entered its second day as rescue crews resumed Sunday morning.

A Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher confirmed the search had resumed, but no other updates were immediately available.

Police received a report Saturday that a body was spotted in the water. River rescue units from Allegheny and Westmoreland counties unsuccessfully scoured the stretch for more than three hours near the village of Ardara in rubber rafts. Rescuers also used drones and firefighters searched along the creek banks and waded in the creek for more than three hours before the search was called off for the day at about 4:45 p.m., according to township police Chief Robert Rizzo.

A Westmoreland County dispatcher reported the initial call was received at 1:27 p.m.

“We had a report from a man who was metal detecting in the woods, near the creek, with his young son, and they spotted what they believed was a body in the creek. The gentleman who initially called it in, got his son out of the area, but by the time we arrived the body was gone down the creek,” Rizzo said.

“We searched for quite awhile, but couldn’t find it today despite a lot of effort by a number of departments,” Rizzo said.

Although the township has not received a report of a missing person in the area, Rizzo said he believes the report is credible.

“I personally spoke with the man who saw the body and he was still very visibly shaken by what he saw,” Rizzo said. “I believe it is credible.”

Rizzo said township and Westmoreland County detectives are working to see if there are any recent reports in the area of a missing person. Meanwhile, he said multiple crews will resume the search Sunday morning along the creek and its shoreline in the vicinity of Route 993 near Haywood Road.