Search for missing swimmer in Potomac River to continue Thursday
Parents demand more action after 3rd Potomac River drowning
Parents are demanding more action after someone drowned in the Potomac River for the third time this summer.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - For the third time this summer, a search operation is underway downstream of Great Falls after another swimmer disappeared in the Potomac River.
What we know:
The latest incident occurred on Tuesday south of Sandy Landing, where a 25-year-old man went missing after getting into the water. A friend who was with him managed to swim back to the Virginia shoreline safely and declined medical treatment, according to rescued officials.
Swift water rescue crews from Montgomery and Fairfax counties returned to the river Wednesday to search for the missing man before pausing operations for the evening.
Emergency crews used swift‑water boats, sonar, underwater drones and K9 teams during the search.
The recovery mission is expected to resume Thursday.
The victim's disappearance marks the third tragedy in the exact same stretch of the Potomac River in recent weeks. On July 2, a 16-year-old boy from Bethesda drowned in the area. Just weeks earlier, in mid-June, 20-year-old Towson University student Nazir Bell died in the same section of the river.
Parents call for preventative action
What they're saying:
Nazir Bell's parents, Jamaal and Shante Smith, are speaking out and pleading with local authorities in Fairfax and Montgomery counties to step up enforcement and education.
"It just breaks my heart. I know how the family feels. It’s a trigger that reopens the wound of what we dealt with six weeks ago," Shante Smith said. "These kids are thinking that they’re gonna have fun, that’s it. They don’t think about the dangers. They’re just thinking about exploring... how do we prevent another life from going under?"
Her husband echoed the call for stronger measures, pointing out that current efforts focus too heavily on response rather than prevention.
"They spend more time patrolling the water trying to find somebody than patrolling the water to keep people out of it," Jamaal Smith said. "You’re spending a lot more resources and time and energy looking for people. We’re asking to do more. Just please, please, whether it’s boats on the water protecting it. Something has to be done."
River regulations
Authorities said that efforts are underway to warn the public about the river's hidden hazards, but enforcement across vast, protected parklands is a challenge.
National Park Service has increased the density of warning signs along trails running adjacent to the river.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Deploys boats for several hours on Saturdays during the summer, as well as during training sessions, to approach people near the shoreline and educate them on river hazards.
Officials are also considering expanding their outreach directly into local schools to emphasize water safety before students head to the parks.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Assistant Chief Dan Ogren emphasized that rescue personnel share the community's frustration and heartbreak over these recurring incidents.
"We’re equally as frustrated. We don’t wanna see anyone hurt," Ogren said. "The C&O Canal, the Potomac River, it’s a beautiful area. It’s a great place to go out and recreate with your family. You just have to do it safely."
Ogren reminded the public that while non-motorized boating activities like kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding are permitted, getting in the water to swim in the lower Potomac River is strictly prohibited by law.
"The one big, big no is you don’t go swimming in the lower part of the Potomac River. It is deadly," Ogren warned. "That area of the river is off limits."
The Source: Information in this article comes from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer and FOX 5 DC reporting.