Friend lost sight of swimmer before Manayunk drowning, police say

MANAYUNK (WPVI) -- New details emerged Sunday about the drowning of a swimmer in the Schuylkill River.

Police were called to the area of Lock Street near Venice Island in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia just after 6 p.m. Saturday.

Police say a witness told arriving officers that his friend, a 52-year-old man, had been swimming in the Schuylkill River on his back and did not look distressed.

The witness said the swimmer got about 20 yards out from the shore and then the witness lost sight of him.

After about 25 minutes, police said, 911 was called. Police and fire rescue units then arrived.

"What we thought would be a rescue effort became a recovery effort," said Dep. Chief Troy Gore of the Philadelphia Fire Dept.

The man's distraught friends waited nearby, hoping for good news as crews searched by boat and by air.

They had reportedly been attending the Blues Festival on Venice Island.

Lauren Bockmeyer spoke with the deceased man's friends.

"They said he went in the river to cool off, and he went 15 feet out and gave the thumbs up and that's the last time they saw him," she said.

His body was recovered at 7:16 p.m. Police say the man was found at the bottom of the river west of the Venice Island railroad tracks.

Fire officials warn the Schuylkill may look calm, but can be treacherous.

"It's very dangerous to swim in the Schuylkill because of the currents we do not recommend it at all," Gore said.

The name of the man has not been released.