Authorities: Paterson 19-year-old missing following swim in Delaware River in Warren County
The National Park Service says Jose Martinez and the other swimmers were not in a designated area and did not have a life jacket.
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A search is underway for a 19-year-old Paterson resident who went missing after swimming in the Delaware River in Warren County.
National Park Service angers say Jose Martinez went swimming on Thursday evening with three other people and was seen struggling in a current before disappearing under the water.
Crews arrived at the scene around 8 p.m. Thursday in the Karamac section of the Delaware River, which is on the New Jersey side.
Crews say they were told Martinez and three others were attempting to swim from the shoreline to the bridge abutments. Those three other swimmers were able to be rescued. However, National Park Service rangers say they are still searching for Martinez boat and on foot.
"Unfortunately, because the river conditions were high last night and have risen about a foot and a half since then, conditions are not safe for us to put divers in the water. Conditions are also poor for diving because visibility would be really low. Right now, all of our searches are happening on the surface,” said National Park Service spokeswoman Kathleen Sandt.
The National Park Service says Martinez and the other swimmers were not in a designated area and did not have a life jacket. Park officials remind other swimmers to pay attention to which sections are designated swim areas and to wear a life jacket because river conditions are constantly changing.
