COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The Cobb County Police Department confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that the body of a deceased man was located and recovered Friday evening in the Chattahoochee River.
Aaron Asher Daniel, 18, of Duluth, was identified by the medical examiner's office.
Friday evening Cobb County police rescue teams suspended the search for the missing swimmer.
The part of the river near Akers Mill Road is a popular spot for swimmers because of what's known as Diving Rock.
It's a beachlike area where swimmers can jump into the river.
“Something had to go wrong at the river just because the area I could see the helicopter at,” Dre Hildalgo told Channel 2’s Matt Johnson.
NewsChopper 2 was above the scene Friday afternoon soon after rescue teams began the search.
Cobb County authorities say someone reported the swimmer missing around 2 p.m. near Sandy Point.
Last April rescue teams pulled the body of a 22-year-old Cherokee County man from the same area.
Hildalgo fishes along the river often. He told Johnson the last time he and a friend went to Diving Rock, his friend had a close call in the water.
“He about drowned actually, he called for help but luckily he clung on to like a log and pulled himself up,” Hildalgo said
Drew Flournoy said most swimmers can't even see one of the most dangerous aspects of the river.
“There are tons of rocks out here under the water that you can’t see, so it's definitely a dangerous area to be in,” Flournoy said
Both say they won't be swimming in the river anytime soon without a life vest.
“So many people come down here and swim and kayak, it could happen to anybody,” Hildago said.
Rescue crews said the cooler weather was another reason for suspending the search Friday evening.