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BURLINGTON COUNTY, New Jersey (KYW) — Emergency crews in New Jersey are suspending a search for a missing woman who officials say helped rescue a girl struggling in the Delaware River until Tuesday morning. Officials are now calling it a recovery mission.
Delran police responded to a report of two potential drowning victims shortly before 4 p.m. Monday at Amico Island Park at 81 Norman Ave., a Burlington County spokesperson said in a news release.
The missing woman went into the Delaware River to try rescuing a girl struggling in the water, the spokesperson said. The woman pushed the girl toward shore, where bystanders pulled her to safety.
According to the spokesperson, the woman went underwater during the rescue and has not been found.
“At the time when the reports came in that she was submerged, the tide was moving out,” Kevin Peak, deputy chief of the Delran Fire Department, said. “We’ve heard all the stories about the ocean swimmers who get pulled by the undertow. River current is almost the exact same thing. It will pull you right under. If you’re not a strong swimmer or a good swimmer, it’s not going to fare very well for anyone involved.”
The search for the missing woman includes the Delran police and fire departments, the Delran Emergency Squad, New Jersey State Police, Camden County dive team and the Philadelphia Police Department.
The search will be suspended overnight but will resume Tuesday morning.
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