BEATRICE - A man who had gone missing on the Little Blue River has been found safe, after an extensive search involving several agencies.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in Fairbury was contacted by a concerned family member of Alan Mathews, of Fairbury. He had gone kayaking on the Little Blue River, starting at the Highway 15 bridge south of Fairbury, at around six a.m, Friday.

Mathews had not called to be picked up in Marysville, Kansas…and had also missed a three, p.m. work shift.

An attempt to reach him by cell phone was unsuccessful because the phone was turned off. Authorities pinged the man's phone, last showing him to be about nine miles east of Fairbury on the Little Blue River.

Jefferson County Sheriff Nels Sorensen says because of strong river currents, authorities were concerned that Mathews had encountered an emergency.

A search involving Fairbury Rural Fire, the Nebraska State Patrol Air Division, Nebraska Game and Parks and Jefferson County District 33 Ambulance Department was conducted. Officials also got help from Marshall and Washington Counties, Kansas Sheriff's Officers.

At 7:42 p.m Friday, NSP Air Division located Mathews on the riverbank, in Hanover, Kansas. A Washington County Sheriff's Officer and Washington County ambulance were sent to the scene. Mathews was uninjured….and his family members were contacted.