Missing swimmer found dead in Potomac River, third this summer
Parents demand more action after 3rd Potomac River drowning
Parents are demanding more action after someone drowned in the Potomac River for the third time this summer.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Rescue crews recovered the body of a missing swimmer in the Potomac River on Thursday, just days after the man went missing. His death is the latest drowning in the river in the last several weeks.
Man's body found in Potomac River
What we know:
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue found the 25-year-old's body in the river Thursday morning after more than two days of searching.
RELATED: Body of 16-year-old boy recovered from Potomac River day after going missing
Officials said they located the man's body underwater near where he went missing, using tools like sonar and underwater cameras.
The man disappeared in the river on July 28, south of Sandy Landing, while swimming with friends.
Third drowning in same stretch of Potomac River this summer
The backstory:
The man's death marks the third tragedy in the exact same stretch of the Potomac River in just over a month. On July 2, a 16-year-old boy from Bethesda drowned in the area. Just weeks earlier, in mid-June, 20-year-old Towson University student Nazir Bell died in the same section of the river.
What they're saying:
Bell's parents are speaking out, asking authorities to step up enforcement and education near the river.
"They spend more time patrolling the water trying to find somebody than patrolling the water to keep people out of it," Jamaal Smith said. "You’re spending a lot more resources and time and energy looking for people."
Potomac River regulations
The other side:
Authorities say they're working to warn the public about the dangers of the river, but enforcement across such a large area is a challenge.
The National Park Service has increased the density of warning signs along trails running adjacent to the river.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue deploys boats for several hours on Saturdays during the summer, as well as during training sessions, to approach people near the shoreline and educate them on river hazards.
The Source: Information in this story is from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue and previous FOX 5 DC reports.