PORT ARTHUR — As the sun rose over a foggy Southeast Texas, Equusearch volunteers were meeting with Port Arthur firemen for what they hoped, and dreaded, would be a productive day. The two groups joined forces Saturday morning to scan the canal along Texas 82 and Texas 73, where in the past eight years seven people have died, searching for any unknown victims who may be lost beneath the surface.

And as the sun went down Saturday night, together, the teams of rescuers recovered two vehicles, neither of which had bodies inside.

Around 3:45 p.m., the first vehicle, an algae covered Chevrolet truck bearing the logo of Total Safety, was pulled from the canal waters by Airport Towing. Port Arthur Fire Department diver, Mark Sastre, spotted the vehicle in the murky, cold water. Based on registration informatin, police were able to determine the truck was reported stolen in April 2004 from Nederland.

Nearly three hours later, the second vehicle, a 4-door red Nissan Sentra, was marked by PAFD diver John Pletcher and diver Brian Adams assisted in bringing the vehicle to the surface. The car was pulled from the water by Boone’s towing to the muddy banks where fire fighters and rescue divers searched the vehicle for evidence of human remains. The vehicle was registered to a business and had not been reported stolen.

Rumors among rescue workers was that the Nissan was most likely sold to an individual without the license being transferred.

Exhausted but excited to have cleared the canal of the vehicles, EquuSearch’s Cheryl Lawless said the teams will meet again Sunday morning at 8 a.m. to finish sonar mapping the canal. Rescue workers were only able to make part of the three and a half mile journey down the canal, stopping after Savannah Avenue to remove the two vehicles.

PAFD Fire Chief, Larry Richard contacted Texas EquuSearch Mounted Search and Recovery Team recently for information on sonar mapping equipment. The answer he got was more than he hoped for.

“I called them to ask what kind of equipment they use and they said they’d just come and do it for us,” Richard said.

Richard said he knew the idea of unknown vehicles and possible victims in the canal was an issue and had been discussed at a Port Arthur City Council meeting. Family members of known victims spoke about some kind of barrier being put up between the road and the water. The grieving families stressed their concerns that the number of fatalities would only increase unless something was done

“There’s a family here today whose nephew went into the canal. He was in the water for 20 minutes before the car was taken out of the water, now he can’t feed himself,” Melanie Mouchon who lost her son, Anthony Harmon, 18, to the canal in 2005 said. “In 2001, Mr. Barbosa lost his niece and her children. In 2005, my son drowns, Mrs. Dyer’s daughter Renee dies. Then in 2007 another family loses a son. What was it that brought this issue to light? I never want anyone to have to look at their son or daughter in a casket because no one wanted to do anything.”

After a brief dispute over who was responsible for providing a barrier, Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDot), pipeline companies, or Drainage District 7, who all own a portion of the area around the canal, TxDot assumed responsibility and should begin work on a wire barrier along the highway next week.

However, the concern of missing bodies under the water loomed before officials and calls were made.

“Our depth finders are several years old and not as good as EquuSearch’s,” Richard said. “We would have had to set a grid pattern and that would not have gotten as good a reading.”

Friday night, EquuSearch came to Port Arthur from their base in Dickinson, Texas, near Galveston to get acquainted with the area they would cover. The three and a half mile stretch from Texas 82 to where Texas 73 meets US 69, is the site of seventeen auto accidents that resulted in the deaths of eight people with victims ranging in age from three to thirty years old.

“We’re here to hopefully let the community get some answers,” Cheryl Lawless, EquuSearch volunteer and Office Manager. “We’re here for the families who want closure.”

Armed with a boat, two sets of sonar equipment, eight volunteers and a cadaver dog, the EquuSearch team began scanning the canal at 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Families of the canal’s victims stood solemnly on the water bank, watching and thinking of their departed loved ones.

Kristen Harmon, relative of Anthony Harmon, said she chose to look at the situation as positive instead of wishing it had happened earlier, possibly saving the life of her loved one.

“We made them listen,” Harmon said. “I’m just glad they’re doing something.”

Founder of EquuSearch, Tim Miller, said the tremendous outpouring of support and the Port Arthur Fire Department is incredible.

“They’ve done well for us and are taking care of us,” Miller said.

The EquuSearch team's existence and purpose is dedicated to the memory of Laura Miller, a young woman abducted and murdered in North Galveston County in 1984. Laura was the daughter of EquuSearch founder, Tim Miller.

Lawless said that family members who have lost loved ones in the canal have already called expressing gratitude and support for EquuSearch’e efforts in recovering unknown vehicles and possible victims in the canal.