Breckenridge Texan

By Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan

This morning, emergency crews are preparing to resume their search for a kayaker who went missing at Hubbard Creek Lake after his kayak capsized during the thunderstorm that blew through the area on Sunday evening, June 11.

Officials from the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, Stephens County Constable’s Office, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Department of Public Safety searched the area until after sunset Sunday evening, when it became too dark to see in the area.

According Stephens County Sheriff Kevin Roach, a local couple was kayaking on the east side of the lake near the Village Inn resort when the storm blew in, overtook them and caused their kayaks to capsize. The woman was able to swim to the shore, but the man and his kayak have not been found.

“We’re still searching for him and the kayak he was in,” Roach said this morning at the lake. “We just ran out of daylight yesterday, and we searched with aircraft with thermals well into the night without any success. But today we’re going to have multiple watercraft, the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, the Stephens County Constable’s Office and Texas Parks and Wildlife, and Texas Department Public Safety’s going to be here with their drones searching.”

Roach said that, at this point, there is no need for the public to be involved in the search.

“I appreciate everyone’s willingness to help, but at this point is I think it’s going to hamper our our efforts,” he said.

Cutline, top photo: Stephens County Sheriff Kevin Roach and Constable Wayne McMullen launch the sheriff’s office boat into Hubbard Creek Reservoir early Monday morning, June 12, to resume searching for the kayaker who went missing Sunday evening after being overtaken by a thunderstorm and capsizing. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)