Elkhart Fire Adopts AI Underwater Search Device
The AquaEye sonar system uses artificial intelligence to mark possible victim locations in water within seconds.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Emergency Response
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The Elkhart Fire Department has begun using AquaEye, an AI-assisted underwater search device, to locate potential victims in water. Crews have spent the past few months training with the technology, and the department is prepared to assist neighboring communities with it when needed.
Why it matters
The city seeks to respond faster and save more lives during water incidents, which have occurred in the Elkhart area over the last couple of years. The department aims to stay proactive and on the cutting edge of technology rather than waiting to act.
The AquaEye device scans up to a football field in length and more than 100 feet deep, while the Elkhart area contains about a mile of square footage of water. The source does not provide field results or a comparison with traditional underwater search methods.
The players
Elkhart Fire Department
The municipal fire agency serving Elkhart, Indiana, which is adopting AquaEye for water search and rescue operations.
The details
AquaEye uses sonar combined with AI to identify a potential victim within seconds and marks the possible location on a map. Submerged vehicles appear differently on the map than people, and crews use the data to estimate how far from shore a potential victim could be before guiding rescue divers to the spot.
Timeline
Over the past couple of years: water incidents occurred in the Elkhart area.
Over the past few months: Elkhart Fire crews trained with AquaEye.
Seasonal Patterns
Elkhart's adoption of AquaEye places a sonar-and-AI search tool used by only a few U.S. fire departments into local water rescue operations. The move reflects the department's stated goal of replacing the traditional underwater sweep method with a faster, map-based alternative.
Residents near the Elkhart River and St. Joe River should follow water safety guidance from local emergency officials. The department's AquaEye capability is intended to speed rescue response when someone is missing in water.
The takeaway
Faster, map-based underwater search can shorten the time between a water incident and a rescue attempt. Staying alert around local waterways remains the most effective way to prevent these emergencies.
Further reading
For more on how crews respond to water incidents, explore Emergency Response coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WSBT.
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