A body was recovered several miles downstream Wednesday after a boat sunk in the South Branch of the Chicago River.
Chicago police responded Wednesday to a boat crash near Pulaski Road in the Sanitary and Shipping Canal, the Chicago Police Department said in a statement.
The 26-foot recreational craft that was carrying four people crashed sometime between midnight and 5 a.m., Illinois Conservation Police Sgt. Joshua Mooi said.
Crews recovered the boat but none of the missing boaters were initially located, Mooi said.
Later in the day, state police found the body of 32-year-old Elmer Jimenez floating in the river about 11:30 a.m. in the 5700 block of West 47th street in suburban Forest View, Illinois State Police said.
Investigators with state police believe Jimenez may have been a casualty of the sunken boat found four miles upstream, state police said.
Jimenez lived in East Chicago, Indiana, state police said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office hasn’t released details on his death.
Sgt. Mooi said crews are planning to resume the search for the missing boaters before noon Thursday.
Illinois State Police are conducting a death investigation.
The @Chicago_Police Marine Unit assisted the @IDNRCP and @ILStatePolice in the search for missing boaters in the area of Pulaski and the Sanitary and Ship Canal. Our Officers searched the sunken vessel, however at this time, no recoveries have been made and the vessel was empty. pic.twitter.com/ZJlArSDWTn
— Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) June 26, 2019
