BARRYVILLE – A 17-year-old Peekskill teen is believed to have drowned in the Delaware River early Sunday evening, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Deputies said the young man was swimming in the river with a friend near the Cedar Rapids Canoe Outfitters in Barryville when they both went into distress. One was rescued by a paddleboarder while the other went under.
Because of the swift current, divers were unable to search in the water, so airboats were used.
The search was called off due to darkness and was to resume at 9 a.m. on Monday.
Several fire departments from Sullivan and Orange counties responded to the scene and assisted in the search.
This is the fifth drowning in the Upper Delaware in a matter of days.
Last week, three people drowned in incidents in Sullivan County and one drowned off Port Jervis in Orange County.
There were also two lake drownings in Sullivan County.
