The search for Andrés Morosini, a 28-year-old man, continues early this Friday. Teams are back at Don Esteban creek by 7 AM. Morosini forcibly took his two young sons, aged six and two, from his ex-partner’s home in Mercedes, Soriano. Yesterday’s search in Río Negro ended without finding them.
The efforts yesterday focused on the Don Esteban creek area. This spot is located at kilometer 58 on Route 20, close to the city of Young. Guillermo Pais, who is the Port Prefect of Fray Bentos, explained the goal. He said, “We are sweeping the area to confirm or rule out the leads the Police have.”
Authorities used an inflatable boat to survey the surface. A team of Navy divers traveled from Montevideo to join the task. Their underwater search covered about 100 meters. They will pick up these efforts again this morning.
The Don Esteban creek presents a tough challenge. It averages between 1.5 meters and 3.5 meters deep. Naval officers reported a strong current that made their work difficult. There were also unseen dangers lurking beneath the water for the divers.
Police also used technology to help with the search. They deployed a geothermal drone for an aerial sweep of the area. This drone helped them quickly rule out certain spots. It also guided them to focus their ground efforts in more specific sections. Pais noted that “detecting heat allows us to focus the search in certain areas.”
Ruben Olivera, a local farmer, also joined the search. He helped out with his tractor. Olivera shared his knowledge of the creek. He described it as not very deep but having a strong current. The area is also popular with fishermen and hunters, who often visit in their vehicles. Investigators are now looking closely at a set of vehicle tracks. These marks suggest a car might have entered the water. They are similar to those made by the BYD F0 car Morosini was driving when he left with his young sons.