Authorities continue to search for a 30-year-old Paradise man who vanished more than a week ago.
Derek Nielsen was last seen June 5 launching a beige kayak from Nelson Bar boat ramp onto Lake Oroville. The location is adjacent to the Lime Saddle area, where the West Branch of the Feather River joins the lake. It is believed that Nielsen intended to fish. Nielsen grew up in Chico and spent much time on Lake Oroville.
Search and Rescue teams from the Butte County Sherriff’s Office have been scouring the immediate area daily since Nielsen disappeared. Authorities said evidence led them to focus on the water.
Lt. Dennis Schmidt is with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
“We know that he was on a kayak, we have several people that saw him on the kayak in the water, and then he disappears and the kayak is still in the water,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt said state experts working on the case fear the worst.
Searchers on boats have repeatedly crisscrossed areas of the lake after dividing it into a grid. A half-dozen search and rescue dogs, a helicopter and a sonar-equipped rescue boat from Merced County have all failed to find Nielsen or any clues to his whereabouts.