ENGLEWOOD — More rain caused problems for crews searching for a missing man’s body in the Stillwater River on Wednesday.
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As News Center 7 previously reported, firefighters switched from rescue to recovery operations on Tuesday.
They do not believe they will find this man alive.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, he went after his girlfriend when she fell into the Stillwater River at Englewood MetroPark on Monday night.
On Wednesday, News Center 7 saw first responders from several departments at the park.
It was the third day in a row that they were searching the river for the body.
Englewood Fire Chief Anthony Terrace said the rain and rising water level have hindered their ability to safely search.
“Water levels were around 7 feet when we started and have since risen to 24 feet,” Terrace said.
Englewood fire said they had a smaller search crew on Wednesday compared to Tuesday.
The department also used a cadaver dog, which led to what firefighters described as some “positive hits” but no recovery.
Crews showed up at the river just after 7 p.m. on Monday after a woman called 911 after getting herself out of the river.
“Were you canoeing or something?” the dispatcher asked.
She told dispatchers she and her boyfriend were walking on the path when she fell into the river.
“I went along with the current, and I couldn’t get up because I couldn’t reach the bottom, so he jumped in after me even though he can’t swim. I told him not to,” she said.
“I don’t want you to go back in there to try to get him,” the dispatcher replied.
Crews had to stop their searches on Monday and Tuesday because conditions became unsafe.
Terrace said crews searched from 8:30 a.m. to 6: 30 p.m. on Wednesday, with their focus on an area north of the Englewood Dam.
A dive team from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Region 3 USAR helped fire crews on scene.
Terrace said searches from the shore may resume Thursday, but additional searches on the water will have to wait until levels recede.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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