The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office has reported the discovery of a body identified as a 48-year-old Illinois man in the Paw Paw River. The search, which was initiated after witnesses saw the man go underwater near the N. Paw Paw Street Bridge in Lawrence, resulted in the body being found yesterday afternoon. According to the Sherriff’s Office, WOOD-TV reported that they began their search for the man around 1 p.m., as he attempted to swim across the river but went under and did not resurface.
The effort to locate the man culminated after an hour of rigorous search by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office dive team. The team managed to recover the body in a coulee opposite the bridge from which he originally went under. The Sheriff, Daniel E. Abbott, highlighted the challenges posed by recent weather events, noting, “With all of the rain West Michigan experienced recently, the river levels are high, and visibility is low.” Abbott also expressed concern about the dangers of cold water temperatures, stating, “This is this unusual for us to get somebody in the water this time of year due to the water temperature. I would strongly recommend people do not go into the water until it warms up at a reasonable rate,” as detailed by WWMT.
The search utilized a drone to aid in locating the victim, but the low visibility conditions hampered this technology. The man’s identity has not been released, and law enforcement does not suspect foul play at this time. The cause of death is believed to be related to the high water levels and cold temperatures…