Search teams comb the Vardar near Gostivar for missing person
Directorate for Protection and Rescue deployed water‑rescue units after the Gostivar police reported the person was last seen near the Vardar.
The Directorate for Protection and Rescue (DPR) activated specialized teams on 21 October 2026 after indications that a missing person was last seen near the Vardar River in the Gostivar area.
Search operation launched at the request of local police
The operation began following a request from the Gostivar Police Station. Responders include members of the Rapid Response Team for Water Rescue, with logistical support provided by the DPR regional office in Gostivar.
Search teams are working along the Vardar, starting at key points inside the town and continuing downstream toward areas outside Gostivar.
Deputy Director Kashmir Saliu is on site and is coordinating the rescue teams’ activities together with police and local services.
The DPR said crews will remain engaged until the operation is completed despite difficult terrain and the specific challenges of the riverbed. Authorities asked anyone with information or who sees anything suspicious along the river to notify the police, the rescue services, or call the emergency number 112. Additional updates on the search will be released by the Directorate.
Photo: press material from the event
