Key keywords: Passaic River search operation, Passaic local emergency response, missing person Passaic County, Passaic River patrol, New Jersey water rescue mission, Passaic public safety alert, Passaic River shoreline search, Passaic County Sheriff's Office rescue Local authorities in Passaic, New Jersey launched a large-scale search operation along the Passaic River on Wednesday morning, October 12, after a 911 call reported a 27-year-old male hiker unaccounted for after he was last seen on the river’s northern shoreline trail. According to official statements from the Passaic Police Department, the missing individual, a resident of Clifton, had told his family he planned to hike the Passaic River scenic trail early Wednesday, and failed to return home by noon, prompting his family to contact emergency services. Surveillance footage from nearby businesses shows the hiker walking alone near the intersection of River Drive and Main Street at approximately 8:15 a.m., sitting on a low retaining wall along the riverbank for roughly 20 minutes before walking out of the camera’s view. Multiple agencies have joined the coordinated search effort, including the Passaic Police Department’s Marine Unit, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office dive team, New Jersey State Park Police, and local volunteer search and rescue organizations equipped with K9 units. Crews are covering a 7-mile stretch of the Passaic River, from the base of the Great Falls of Passaic downstream to the border with Lyndhurst, using side-scan sonar to scan the riverbed, aerial drones to survey hard-to-reach shoreline areas, and patrol boats to traverse faster-moving sections of the waterway. Passaic Department of Public Safety spokesperson Luis Garcia confirmed during a Wednesday afternoon press briefing that search crews have not yet located any sign of the missing hiker, and no foul play is suspected at this stage, though accidental drowning has not been ruled out. Garcia noted that recent heavy rainfall across North Jersey has raised the Passaic River’s water level by nearly 3 feet over the past week, creating faster, more turbulent currents and reducing underwater visibility to less than 6 inches, complicating search efforts. Local officials have closed a 2-mile section of the Passaic River shoreline trail to the public through at least Friday to avoid disrupting search operations and prevent additional safety incidents, as slippery mud and loose rock along the bank pose fall risks for visitors. Garcia also urged any residents who witnessed unusual activity along the river between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Wednesday to contact the Passaic Police Department tip line immediately. The search operation is scheduled to continue 24 hours a day through the end of the week, with additional dive teams scheduled to join the effort on Thursday if no leads emerge.