HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Deputies with Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the body of a swimmer has been recovered after he went missing at the San Jacinto River Sunday evening.
Officials were called to Magnolia Gardens Park at around 7 p.m.
According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the possibly 50-year-old man was last seen swimming at the park. It was said the man swam to a small island, then was seen swimming to the other side of the San Jacinto River.
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Deputies said the man and his friend were playing ball in the water when the man decided to swim to the island. His friend told deputies he saw the man take a break in the water about five feet from the island and had not been seen since.
The swimmer’s body was recovered hours later.
“It’s sad,” said Veronica Trevino-Ruiz, who owns the park. “That’s definitely not normal.”
Officials said the man’s family claimed he was a strong swimmer, but officials added that sometimes it’s not enough.
“The biggest thing to always remember is like we have a piece that just came out, but where you’re in uncharted water and there’s underground natural hazards and have a hazard for swimmers, even if they’re strong swimmers, there’s always that possibility of catastrophic results and stuff. We try to swim across uncharted water,” said David Jasper with the Marine Unit and Dive Team.
This comes after two children drowned at the Xtreme Off-Road Park on Gulf Pump Road on Saturday.
@HCSOTexas deputies are searching for a missing adult male (possibly 50 yoa). The male was said to be at Magnolia Garden, swam to a small island, then was reportedly seen swimming to the other side of the river. It’s unknown if he made it across or went under.
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) July 17, 2023
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