A boater swimming off his boat on the Pamunkey River was swept away Sunday morning, and police confirmed Monday evening that his body has been recovered.
Virginia Marine Police say 37-year-old Cory Redford of Henrico, Va. was swimming in the water next to his boat on the river in New Kent. Other people on board the boat saw him get carried away by the current and threw him a life ring. When they tried to move the boat closer to him, the boaters lost sight of the victim and called for help.
Boaters familiar with the Pamunkey River say the water is deep in the area (some 60 feet deep) and currents are strong.
Virginia Marine Police, the U.S. Coast Guard, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Virginia State
Police, New Kent Sheriff’s Office, New Kent Police Department, James City County Fire Department, West
Point Fire Department, and the West Point Police Department all responded to help in the search.
The search continued into Monday, when marine police say their officers located a body near the confluence of the Pamunkey River and the York River.
The medical examiner identified the body found as Redford. In a statement police said, “The Virginia Marine Police and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission offers its deepest condolences to the family of Cory Redford during this time.”
–Meg Walburn Viviano
