RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Richmond Fire Department has confirmed that a male body has been found during the recovery operation for a man who went missing in the James River Sunday evening.
According to a tweet from the Richmond Fire Department, the Water Rescue Team recovered a body during the search of the James River at about 10:50 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 5. The body was located about 200 yards down river from the Riverside Meadows.
The former rescue mission began Sunday, Sept. 4, after the fire department said a call came in for a potential drowning at around 7 p.m. on the 7600 block of Riverside Drive. According to the fire department, witnesses said a Hispanic man in his 20s walked into the water just down river of Riverside Meadows and did not reappear.
The fire department said the man was with a group of people when he attempted to cross the river. All three Water Rescue Team boats were launched Sunday evening, and the department searched the area until a lack of sunlight suspended the operation around 8:30 p.m.
The department said the mission was reclassified as a recovery operation. All rescue teams continued with the recovery search Monday morning around 8:30, with the man’s family at the scene.
The Richmond Police Department will be handling the official identification of the body, but the fire department confirmed the body found was that of a Hispanic man in his 20s. Foul play is not suspected at this time.
