A father lost his life trying to save his three children from the Millstone River in Franklin Township Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities say that three children, ages 13, 11 and 8 went into the water around 2 p.m. and quickly started to struggle. Officials say that the father, a 42-year-old South River man, went into the water to help them.

Witnesses told police that the man was able to pull his children to the shallow water but was not able to maintain his balance and was swept away.

Emergency crews searched the water for the man but were not able to rescue him.

First responders checked out the children at the scene and they were not harmed.

The man’s body was eventually found several hours later by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office’s dive team. The man’s name was not released.

People who live near the river say that they often see runners and cyclists and people fishing in the area, but never swimming.

One woman told News 12 New Jersey that in about a 10-year period, at least three people have drowned the river. That prompted the neighboring town to put up warning signs.