Swimmer Disappears in Potomac River Near Fletcher's Boathouse

Several agencies said they called off a search for a swimmer in the Potomac River near Fletcher’s Boathouse Sunday. 

D.C. Fire and EMS called the situation an apparent drowning. The department said in a tweet that this was the second "loss of life this month of people trying to swim the Potomac." The other occurred nearby in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Shortly after 3 p.m., a witness reported seeing a person try to swim in the river from the Virginia side and not resurface, the fire department said.

D.C. police fire boats and units from the Harbor station, Arlington Fire Department boats and a Maryland State Police helicopter assisted in the search.  

Update water rescue Potomac River vicinity Fletchers boathouse. Credible witnesses saw swimmer go under. #DCsBravest Fireboats along with @DCPoliceDept Harbor Units, @ArlingtonVaFD boats, @MDSP helicopter are conducting search operations. pic.twitter.com/hcIHb5YRy9

— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) June 6, 2021

Update water rescue Potomac River vicinity Fletchers Boathouse. Search continues but some resources being released. @USCG is also assisting. pic.twitter.com/zWDSFLSs5G

— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) June 6, 2021

Around 5:30 p.m., Vito Maggiolo, the public information officer for D.C. Fire and EMS, said the department would begin to pull back some of its resources.

Maggiolo said that given the amount of time the swimmer has been missing, the mission would likely be a recovery, not a rescue.

At 7 p.m., D.C. Fire and EMS ended rescue efforts.

"The river around & north of Fletchers is beautiful, scenic, but DANGEROUS! Don’t put your life at risk," D.C. Fire and EMS said in a tweet.

More information about the identity of the missing swimmer was not provided.