KELLY — A search for a missing Pender County man has ended. According to the Pender County Sheriff’s Department, the body of William Corbett was located on Friday on Beatty’s Bridge Road in the vicinity of Yonder Store. He was reported missing by his family on Tuesday, Aug. 18, according to the Pender County Sherriff’s Office.

The investigation has been turned over to the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office and is continuing.

The Bladen County Water Rescue Squad and the Bladen County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Henry’s Landing are in the vicinity of the Ivanhoe community following a request for assistance from the Pender County Sheriff’s Office about 1 p.m. Thursday.

About 40 rescue, fire and police personnel assisted in searching the Black River for an elderly Pender County man who has been missing for about two weeks, according to Bladen County Deputy D. M. Williamson.

“As of this time, local and state agencies from Pender County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus, Bladen and Sampson Counties; The City of Fayetteville Police Department; Bladen County Water Rescue and the Sampson County Dive Team are all assisting with the search,” said Williamson on Thursday.

The search covered about seven miles of the river between the area of Beatty’s Bridge to N.C. Hwy. 11. The area was selected for the search because the missing man resided in that vicinity. Williamson said the river ranges from three feet to 30 feet in the area of the search and the currents range from slow moving to brisk.

Searchers employed side scan sonar equipment as well as cadaver dogs in the hopes of locating the man.

A ground search on the Pender County side of the river using ATVs and an aerial search by helicopter late Thursday and again on Friday morning, said Williamson.