Rock River drowning; body recovered after multi-agency search
Rock River, Jefferson County
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Wis. - A drowning victim was recovered Wednesday afternoon, June 3, from the Rock River in Jefferson after a multi-agency search that began the day before.
Body recovered from river
What we know:
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said the person went missing about 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 2, in the Rock River, near Highway N in Jefferson.
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The body was recovered about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Rock River, Jefferson County
The Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s Office is responding to positively identify the victim. The person’s name has not been released pending notification of family.
Search crews returned to the river at 8 a.m. Wednesday and continued until the person was recovered. Earlier search efforts included specialized boats from several agencies.
The sheriff’s office urged boaters to understand boater safety laws, use personal flotation devices, monitor weather and water conditions, and avoid entering the water unless they understand the risks.
Rock River search in Jefferson
Officials said the Rock River has cloudy water, potentially dangerous currents, mud, silt, tree branches and other debris that can be hazardous to swimmers.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and City of Jefferson Fire & EMS thanked agencies from Jefferson, Rock, Waukesha and Brown counties that responded with personnel and equipment.
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Rock River search in Jefferson
Responders included crews from Fort Atkinson, Janesville, Jefferson County Emergency Communications, Johnson Creek, Lake Mills, Lakeside, MD-1, Rock County, the Salvation Army, Waterloo, Western Lakes and Western Waukesha.
Tuesday's search
The backstory:
According to incident reports, two people were boating on the Rock River on Tuesday afternoon when one person entered the water. The other boater called 911, and first responders arrived within minutes.
Rock River search in Jefferson
The search began immediately and continued until 9 p.m. Tuesday, when it was suspended for the night.
Specialized equipment deployed in the search included boats from the DNR, Fort Atkinson, Western Lakes and Lake Mills.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.