Authorities say the body they found in the Potomac River is likely that of a young person who went missing Friday while trying to swim from Virginia to Maryland.
Pete Piringer, the public information officer for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, said in an X post that the body was found underwater among rocks using sonar. It was then dragged out on Monday. Piringer also said that a local kayaker reported the body after seeing it floating in the water.
Piringer said in a video posted on X that the first tip they got was of a “couple of swimmers” trying to swim between the Mid-Atlantic states. At some point, a spokesman said, one of the swimmers became “distressed,” went underwater, and hasn’t been seen since.
Piringer said in the video released Monday that the swimmer was likely to have drowned and that search teams had been looking for the person for “the last couple of days.”
According to Piringer, “Montgomery County police are investigating the death.” “We believe (the body) to be the swimmer that was presumed drowned and missing since Friday.”
In a video interview with WTOP-FM, Piringer said that Montgomery Fire and Rescue has been “pretty busy” responding to calls about the Potomac River over the last couple of weeks.
“There have been an unusual number of young people in groups that have been swimming,” said Piringer.
For young people who like to jump off rocks into the water, Piringer told the radio station that Purple Horse Beach and Sandy Landing have become “very popular spots” near the river.
This person said, “Swimming is not only illegal for good reason, it’s also dangerous.” “Water levels change every day, the currents are very strong (and) the water is different this year.”
There is more water because the currents are “much stronger,” Piringer said in the interview.
A representative said, “The water levels are about four feet, which is pretty high.” “The currents are treacherous, dangerous and to that point, swimming is prohibited in the area of Great Falls, (Maryland).”
The water temperature stays the same, which the Piringer said is “typically cold all year round” at 67 degrees.
