One missing swimmer, one confirmed drowning reported in the Upper Delaware July 4 weekend

By LIAM MAYO
Posted 7/6/21

The past few weeks have have taken a tragic toll on swimmers on the Upper Delaware. The July 4 weekend added to the count, as  two swimmers were reported missing in seperate …

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One missing swimmer, one confirmed drowning reported in the Upper Delaware July 4 weekend

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The past few weeks have have taken a tragic toll on swimmers on the Upper Delaware. The July 4 weekend added to the count, as two swimmers were reported missing in seperate incidents.  The second swimmer's body has since been recovered,  marking the fifth confirmed drowning along the Upper Delaware since the start of June. 

On July 3, around 3:30 p.m., a report was made of a swimmer struggling and going underwater in the Delaware near Skinners Falls, according to NPS chief of interpretation Ingrid Peterec. A Lumberland Fire Department boat responded to the scene, along with the Highland Lake Fire Department, the Sullivan County Dive Task Force and other departments. 

The search for the missing swimmer continued throughout Saturday and into Sunday, but no body was recovered.  Additionally, according to Peterec, no one has reported a person missing who might be this swimmer, leaving the report of the missing swimmer unconfirmed. 

On July 4, a report was made around 5:03 p.m. of three individuals in the water near the Cedar Rapids Campground without life jackets. Two of these were recovered and brought to shore, while the third, a seventeen year old individual from Peekskill, was seen going under and was not seen to resurface. 

The Lumberland Fire Department and the New York State Police responded to the report, according to Peterec, along with other departments. A search was made Sunday until dusk and resumed Monday. 

The victim's body was discovered Wednesday morning at around 9 a.m., with the Lumberland Fire Department, the Highland Fire Department, the NPS and the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department all present, among others. This victim is the fifth confirmed drowning along the Upper Delaware since the start of June, with a drowning off the shore of Port Jervis bringing the total for the Delaware as a whole to six.  

Edit: This story has been updated as of Wednesday, 4 p.m. to reflect the  discovery of the second victim's body. 

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