The search for the missing swimmer came to a close today with the discovery of the boy's body.
(KEIZER, Ore.) - UPDATE 1:00 p.m.: The Polk County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Oregon National Guard Helicopter have located the missing 14 year-old boy who disappeared Monday night while swimming with friends in the Willamette River near Spongs Landing.
The body of 14-year old Joe Engichy, was located at 11:00 a.m. today in about seven feet of water.
Sheriff Bob Wolfe stated, "We are glad to have found him for the family but it's still a tragic outcome."
The helicopter spotted an object in the water approximately 20 yards north of where Joe Engichy was last seen. Divers assisting Polk Count from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Dive Team entered the water and recovered the body.
His body was taken to Goldens Funeral Home in Salem.
UPDATE: 9/28/09 - Polk County Sheriff's Office is continuing to search the Willamette River area for a missing 14 year old boy who was swimming with friends around Monday evening near Spongs Landing Park in Keizer.
The teen disappeared under the water near the middle of the river. Several friends in the water with the boy tried to locate him but the water was too murky and moving too fast and they were unable to locate him.
Friends then called 911 at 8:30 p.m. and emergency units from multiple police and fire agencies responded to assist. Polk County Marine Patrol assist by a rescue boat from the Salem Fire Department searched the river and bank area until around 11:00 p.m. without any trace of the missing boy.
"Polk County Sheriff's Office is continuing to search this morning and we have activated our Search and Rescue Unit, who will be assisting two Polk County Marine Patrol Boats," said Sheriff Bob Wolfe.
"We are still working on the hope that maybe he got out of the water and onto the river bank, so we are searching the area throughout the morning."
"Divers from the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office have offered assistance and will be working off the Polk County Marine Patrol Boats should we find something in the water."
Sheriff Bob Wolfe stated, "Unless you are a experienced swimmer who can swim in moving water you should not be in the Willamette River without a life jacket. The current and river conditions are too unpredictable to swim in the river without a life jacket."
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A water rescue call sent the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Keizer Fire Department to the Willamette River, near Spongs Landing in Keizer Monday night at 8:30 p.m.
It was reported that a 14-year old boy from Keizer was swimming in the Willamette when he was pulled under the water by the current and has not been seen since.
Salem-News.com Photographer Jerry Freeman responded to the scene, and was present while the search continued, with desperate family members on the beach, hoping for a miracle.
Sgt. Mark Garton with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, confirmed that the miracle didn't come and rescuers had to call it for a night, hours after darkness began to fall.
Their final assignment was getting the boy's family members to step out of the river, the last place they saw the teen alive.
Boats from the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Salem Fire Department were on scene shortly after the call and began immediately searching for the missing 14-year old.
The boats temporarily suspended the search due to the darkness at around 11:00 p.m.
Volunteers from the Polk County Search and Rescue team along with Polk County Marine Patrol will be on scene on in the morning to resume the search.
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Missing 14-Year Old Swimmer Recovered From Willamette River (UPDATED)Salem-News.com