Another Disappearance at Niagara Falls: Woman Missing After Entering River Above Horseshoe Falls

Another Disappearance at Niagara Falls: New York State Police are actively searching for a woman who reportedly entered the Niagara River above Horseshoe Falls on Wednesday, just a week after a separate tragedy in which a mother threw herself and her two children over the ledge.

Witnesses reported seeing the woman enter the river around 2 p.m. near Goat Island, a location overlooking Horseshoe Falls — the largest of the three waterfalls that make up Niagara Falls.

According to a statement by the State Police to local news station WGRZ, “An immediate search of the area commenced using Park Police drone, foot searches of the gorge, and visual searches from overlooks.” New York State Police Aviation was later brought in to assist with a more extensive search of the lower Niagara River.

This search follows a heartbreaking incident last week involving 33-year-old Chianti Means, a mother  who tragically stepped over the guardrail at Luna Park and jumped 200 feet into the river with her two young children, a 9-year-old and a 5-month-old. Means, who was a domestic violence counselor, had reportedly been suffering from postpartum depression, according to family members. Despite search efforts, the bodies of Means and her children have yet to be recovered.

The recent incidents have drawn attention to the Niagara River’s dangers and the need for mental health resources. Last year, another mother jumped with her 5-year-old son into the Niagara Gorge. While she tragically did not survive, her son was rescued by emergency responders.

New York authorities are urging visitors to exercise caution near the falls as search efforts continue for the missing woman. Police have not yet released her identity and are asking the public to avoid speculation as they investigate further.