RICHMOND — Divers recovered the body Sunday morning of a 70-year-old Georgetown man who went missing Saturday afternoon while swimming in the Kennebec River in Richmond.

John Charles Holmes was swimming with a friend when he was unable to return to their boat, which was anchored about a half-mile south of the public boat landing in Richmond, near Swan Island, according to searchers.

Officials said Holmes’ friend saw him struggling in the current at about 3:30 p.m. The friend was able to return to their boat to call 911.

The Maine Marine Patrol and members of the Maine State Police, Marine Patrol and Warden Service dive team, assisted by a Maine Forest Service airplane, responded Saturday afternoon and searched the area near the town boat launch.

Searchers were unable to locate the missing man before they suspended their efforts Saturday night due to low visibility.

Searchers returned to the river Sunday morning and, using a side-scan sonar device, located Holmes’ body at about 8:30 a.m.

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