Divers end search of aqueduct for missing fishermen from Glendale

Divers were unable to continue searching the California Aqueduct Sunday for two missing elderly brothers from Glendale who headed to the Lancaster area to go fishing.

Sgt. Michael Rodriguez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau/Missing Persons Unit told City News Service that the “speed” of the aqueduct could have moved the bodies at least 40 miles in either direction.

“We’re assuming that (the men falling into the water) possibly occurred,” Rodriguez said, adding that it would be difficult to pinpoint a location to begin a search. “We just don’t know,” he said. “There’s nothing we can do as far as a search.”

Divers initially began the search at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Deputy M. Chen told CNS. Authorities said it was possible the men fell into the water while fishing.

That search ended sometime later in the afternoon, Rodriguez said.

Authorities received a missing persons bulletin advising that 86-year-old Minas Khacheryan and his 78-year-old brother Grigor Khacheryan were last seen at 8 a.m. Friday in the 1000 block of East Chevy Chase Drive in the city of Glendale.

Minas was described as 5-feet-4 inches tall, 180 pounds, with short, balding gray hair, blue eyes and a goatee. He has a heart condition and is missing his left eye.

Grigor was described as 5-feet-5 inches tall, 140 pounds, with short, balding gray hair and brown eyes. He recently had open-heart surgery.

Anyone with information about the pair was asked to call the sheriff’s Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.