Kayaker Went Missing After Falling into River While Night Fishing. 2 Days Later, His Body Has Been Found

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6 days ago

The man was fishing in the Fox River in St. Charles, Ill., on July 29 when he fell into the water and never resurfacedNEED TO KNOW
A kayaker who was fishing in the Fox River near St. Charles, Ill., went missing on July 29
A friend of the kayaker alleged a passing boat with no lights knocked the victim out of his kayak and into the water
The City of St. Charles confirmed that the body of the missing kayaker was found on the morning of July 31The body of a kayaker who went missing in the Fox River in St. Charles, Ill., two days ago has been found, authorities confirmed.
In a news release, the City of St. Charles said a male victim's body was located on the morning of Thursday, July 31, in the river near the Great Western Trail Bridge, after an individual called 911 at 5:58 a.m. local time.
The body has been positively identified as the missing kayaker, whose name has not been publicly disclosed.
"The St. Charles Fire Department has concluded the search and recovery operation and the ongoing investigation into the incident continues by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police, who hold jurisdiction over the Fox River, and the Kane County Coroner's Office," read the release.
In an earlier news release, the city said that on the evening of Tuesday, July 29, the St. Charles Fire Department responded to a call about a person in the river near Ferson Creek.
'First responders arrived on the scene and immediately initiated a coordinated water rescue operation,' the department stated. 'To access all available resources, mutual aid from 29 area fire departments was utilized to assist in the search effort, deploying divers and boats with specialized sonar and scan search equipment.'
However, they were not able to locate the kayaker at the time; crews searched for the kayaker until 5 a.m. on Wednesday, July 30, the department said.
Hours later at about 8:30 a.m., the search for the kayaker resumed and transitioned from a rescue to a recovery, the fire department added. It concluded at 4:30 p.m. that day, with no success.
On the night of the incident, the victim was fishing in his kayak when he fell into the water, authorities said, according to local outlet WGN. They believe a wake from a passing boat may have knocked the kayaker into the water.
Daeshawn Eubanks, a friend of the kayaker who was with him the evening he went missing, told ABC affiliate WLS that he and the victim regularly kayaked together on the Fox River.
Eubanks said that as he and his friend were ready to pack up on Tuesday night, a boat was speeding without its lights and knocked his friend into the water.
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'He went under and we didn't hear from him anymore,' Eubanks recalled.
He described what happened to the victim as "devastating," adding, "That was my best friend of over 10 years."
Eubanks also refuted officials' claim that the missing kayaker did not have a life jacket at the time of the incident, saying that both of them were wearing life jackets.
Per CBS affiliate WBBM, the St. Charles Fire Department said that authorities made contact with the owner of the boat, and an investigation is looking into whether the boat's wake caused the missing kayaker to fall into the water or if the vessel directly hit the kayaker.
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The city noted in its Thursday news release that authorities' search to find the missing kayaker spanned nearly 20 hours over the two days.
St. Charles Fire Chief Jeremy Mauthe thanked the responders who participated in the search "for their ongoing support" in a statement included in the release. He added, "Their expertise, specialized equipment, and dedication were vital to this operation.'
St. Charles Mayor Clint Hull said in the same release, "We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and all who have been affected by this tragic incident.'
Read the original article on People