Published: July 18, 2008 11:40 pm            

NORTH TONAWANDA: Man drowns in Niagara River

North Tonawanda Dive/Rescue Team members pulled the body of a 28-year-old white male who drowned in the Niagara River at Fishermens Park Friday evening.

Police were not releasing the victim’s name Friday night because they hadn’t yet notified his next of kin.

The drowning was ruled as accidental, North Tonawanda Lt. Dan Mahoney said. Dive team members pulled the victim’s body from the water at 7:23 p.m., concluding an hour-long search, Mahoney said. Shortly before 6:30 p.m., police received a call that a man had jumped off a pier into the water and didn’t resurface.

Cody Brittain and Jessica Taylor, both 15, saw what happened. They said the victim jumped into the river and was swimming fine before climbing the ladder back onto the pier. “He started talking to us and told us his name,” Taylor said.

A short time later, he jumped in a second time, began struggling in the water and went under. “We waited about a minute, we didn’t have a cell phone so we ran to find someone who did,” Taylor said. The first few people they asked didn’t have one, but moments later they found someone who did.

Personnel from six agencies, including the North Tonawanda police and fire departments, City of Tonawanda police, New York State Parks Police and Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, combed the river searching for the victim.

On board the City of Tonawanda police boat, Capt. James Litz and Lt. Patrick Rank used the department’s sonar equipment to help locate the body.

Officers who responded to the call said “No Swimming” signs are not posted in the area.

It’s the first drowning in the Tonawandas in nearly two years. In August 2006, City of Tonawanda police pulled a 21-year-old drowning victim’s body from the Erie Canal.

Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.

        

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