Body of missing man found

POLK COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) – Crews are no longer searching for a missing 26-year-old Cleveland man in the Ocoee River.

They recovered a body at around 4:17 Tuesday afternoon.

Rescuers had been looking for the man since yesterday evening.

Polk County Emergency Management Deputy Director Wes Davis said the man was directly behind the Ocoee White Water Center in an area called the blue hole when he lost his footing and fell into the water.

The body was found around a half a mile from where he went into the water and along the bank and in some brush.

Davis said lots of people showed up wanting to help.

“We’ve had rescue workers from North Carolina,Tennessee, Georgia, then we’ve had the local kayaking community come in and help. You know, it’s like a said earlier, it never ceases to amaze me this community just comes together and just helps each other out. We’ve seen it today I mean there’s been hundreds of people flowing through this area, wanting to help, bring food, water, drinks, whatever,” Davis said.

The body has been taken to the medical examiner’s office.