A Missouri Highway Patrol helicopter rescued two women early Monday morning after they had gone missing Sunday on a float trip on the Lamine River in Cooper County.
The Highway Patrol's Troop F received a report at about 10:40 p.m. Sunday of two women who had become lost while floating on the river, according to a news release.
The women had entered the river at about 1 p.m. that afternoon and had intended to have a four-hour trip.
Members of the Highway Patrol and the Cooper County Sheriff's Department responded to the area to look for the women, and a Highway Patrol helicopter responded to the scene from Jefferson City to assist.
The Patrol helicopter pilot and tactical flight officer, both wearing night-vision goggles, located the two women at 1:09 a.m. on the river between Otterville and Pilot Grove.
Ground units tried unsuccessfully to get to the remote location through wooded areas and fields, so the helicopter crew landed in a nearby field and then evacuated the women to nearby officers, who returned them to their vehicles.