Photo: Henrico County Police
Officials believe they have recovered the body of 28-year-old Sarah Erway, who went missing on Memorial Day after going over a dam in Virginia.
Richmond Fire crews located the body on Monday morning “just downstream of the Huguenot Flatwater boat ramp” in the James River in Richmond, according to anews releasefrom the Henrico County Police Department.
Richmond Emergency Communications received a call just after 7:45 a.m. regarding a body seen floating in the river 200 yards away from the Huguenot Bridge. The search for Erway was subsequently called off.
The body is presumed to be Erway’s, though the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia has not officially identified the remains.
“Law enforcement officials will work closely with the State’s Medical Examiner’s Office to confirm the identity and the cause of death to bring some closure to the family,” Henrico County police said in Monday’s release.
The HCPD and State Medical Examiner’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Erway was one of 12 people togo over Bosher’s Damon Memorial Day while boating on the James River. She and Lauren Winstead, 23, of Henrico County, went missing after the accident.
Richmond Fire Department Batallion Chief Robert Maass said at a June 1 press conference that Winstead’s body was found about five miles from the dam she and Erway fell over.
“Elevated” water levels at James River complicated crews' search for the missing women despite going down in the days after the victims disappeared, Maass added.
Henrico County Police (2)
Winnie said Erway “was on a board with just her paddle” and that the group of 12 was “all tied together up the river” when the accident occurred. “[Erway] is the one who said, ‘get back, get away,’ " she recalled, per the report.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.
He added, “We as first responders extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends [of the victims].”
source: people.com
