Search for missing PSU student continues in N.Y.

Continued search efforts for missing University student Nathan O. Swymer around New York's Owasco Lake have been unsuccessful.

Swymer (junior-electrical engineering) was last seen around 11 a.m. Saturday rowing a boat on Owasco Lake in Scipio, N.Y. Tuesday morning his boat was discovered nearby in Niles, N.Y.

Although no body has been found, the long amount of time and cold temperatures have left rescue searchers without little hope of finding the student alive.

"If he's in the lake, he's dead," said New York State Police Zone Sgt. William Schusler.

Nathan's father, Stephen Swymer, traveled to Scipio Monday after the family was notified Swymer was missing.

"They are preparing us for the fact that Nathan may not be found," he said.

If a body is not found, Schusler said, the New York State Police will make a decision in the near future on the status of the search.

"We can't do this search forever," Schusler said. "Eventually, somebody will make a decision that the search is not working." Should that happen, the police will put off searching for Swymer's body until warmer weather arrives in the region.

Swymer grew up in Exton, Pa. and was working as an intern through a work-study program at Goulds Pumps in Auburn, N.Y. Goulds is one of the world's largest designers and manufacturers of pumps, according to a corporate profile.

"He thoroughly loved Penn State," his father said. "As a father I was proud to send him up there." He added that his son enjoyed mountain biking and the outdoors at University Park.

Swymer's family has planned a memorial service for Nathan tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Calvary Fellowship Church in Downingtown.

New York state police at Auburn were notified Monday that Swymer was missing, Schusler said. Upon notification, police began a ground search. Helicopters were added to the search Tuesday.

Approximately 10 divers began searching the lake Wednesday, Schusler said. "As of (yesterday afternoon) we're still continuing the search using our scuba team," he said.

In addition to the other search methods, Schusler said four dogs from Western New York Search and Rescue were brought in to search the lake. "They can allegedly, and have often times been successful, detect bodies in the water," he said.

A human body in water emits an odor that comes to the surface, Schusler said. These dogs can then smell that odor and find the area where the body is.

The Erie County Sheriff's Department also provided underwater cameras Wednesday.

Owasco Lake is 177-feet deep and contains a volume of 212 billion gallons of water. It is a very dangerous lake for divers to search, Schusler said, and winds were picking up as divers were in the water yesterday.