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Search resumes for mom, National Guard sergeant who vanished tubing in South Carolina

Porsha Griffin's family says she was tubing behind a boat with a friend when the tube was flipped, tossing both her and her friend into the lake.

State officials in northwest South Carolina on Thursday said they are continuing to search for a mother who disappeared at Lake Greenwood over the weekend.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) reported Porsha Griffin, 30, vanished while tubing on the lake in Laurens County on Saturday.

The lake is about 75 miles northwest of the state's capital Columbia.

The woman was tubing behind a boat with a friend during the afternoon, when the tube was flipped, tossing both her and her friend into the lake, state officials reported.

Lake Greenwood in northwest South Carolina, where a 30-year-old mother disappeared tubing on May 25, 2024.

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Friend pulled from water, but victim did not resurface

Her friend was helped out of the water by bystanders, but Griffin did not surface, officials said.

According to officials, the woman was not wearing a life jacket.

“The search has involved extensive diving and use of sonar and will resume Monday morning,” SCDNR posted on X Saturday.

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Missing woman is a National Guard sergeant, nurse and has 9-year-old daughter

"Our officers, investigators, divers and airplane continue recovery efforts today for a missing woman on Lake Greenwood in Laurens County," the agency posted on X Thursday. "The search continues utilizing available resources... Our priority is bringing closure to the family."

According to WSPA-TV, Griffin's family said she is a registered nurse from Columbia and has a 9-year-old daughter.

Griffin is a staff sergeant and member of the South Carolina Army National Guard and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2023, Major Karla N. Evans, a public affairs officer with the force told USA TODAY.

Family told the outlet Griffin is a member of the National Guard, a registered nurse and mother to a 9-year-old girl.

USA TODAY has reached out to Griffin's family and the National Guard in South Carolina.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or with information about the case is asked to contact the SCDNR.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.