River search resumes

Near ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Volunteers and rescue crews found the body Monday afternoon of a 22-year-old man who apparently drowned in the Catawba River over the weekend.

The man, whose name has not been released, was swimming Saturday evening in a section of the river near the Interstate 77 bridge, according to York County Emergency Management Director Cotton Howell.

Howell said the man had crossed onto private property with three friends to fish and swim.

The friends told authorities the man had jumped into the river to cool off.

Witnesses said they noticed the man was missing a few minutes later.

Searchers spent hours over the weekend combing the remote area near Rock Hill, using planes, helicopters, night-vision goggles, divers and cadaver-sniffing dogs.

Duke Energy has been limiting the amount of water released into the river near the search site to slow the current, Howell said, adding the Catawba can be treacherous.

“The water level here goes from 6 inches to 16 feet back to 6 inches in just a matter of steps,” Howell said. “As the currents go through, it washes out some holes and deep spots there in the rocks, lots of rocks, lots of hazards, lots of limbs and debris.”

WCNC's Tony Burbeck is following this story. He will have more in a report on WCNC starting at 4:30 p.m.