McAllen Fire Department says there is nothing more they can do
It has not been easy for family and friends of Andres Frias. Since last Thursday they have been watching the clock—as hours turned into days and those days slowly turn into a week.
While they sit under tents near the canal Andres drowned in—located off of South 10th in McAllen---his family and friends discuss what can be done to recover the teen’s body.
They told Action 4 News that they voiced those suggestion to McAllen firefighters---but said the search remains stagnant and their suggestions have been tossed aside.
But Rene Alaniz, spokesman for the McAllen Fire Department, told Action 4 News they did take the families suggestions into consideration…..but in the end a final assessment proved the waters too dangerous for anyone to navigate safely.
"If you were to look at the area where the incident occurred,” Alaniz started. “There was a lot of concrete, wires, and wrought iron coming out from the area....this is what the commander (of the dive team) had to take into account for the safety of his people."
Alaniz added that irrigation canals, like the one Andres jumped into, can be deceiving to the eye.
"They're only seeing the top of the water,” Alaniz explained. “They see it moving and to them they don't think it's moving fast at all. There is a lot of turbulence under the water. Along with debris that has collected underground over years.”
While they want to bring closure to the Frias family, Alaniz said they have exhausted every resource that they can and there is nothing more they can do.
As for the teens family and friends….they will not leave that canal until Andres is found.
The family has also started a on-line petition to keep the search efforts going---they said they have already received dozens of signatures.
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