TURNERS FALLS — Rescuers launched from the Turners Falls Rod and Gun Club into the Connecticut River Tuesday morning, and recovered a body on the Gill side of Barton Cove.
The body was discovered by a boater out for an early morning paddle, after 8 a.m.
“We have an unidentified male, found by a kayaker in the river,” said State Police Detective Stephen Bushay, who was still at the launch site at 11 a.m., waiting for the body to be taken away by the medical examiner.
John Zellmann, deputy chief of the Turners Falls Fire Department, said the department was called in to help, and responded with a rescue boat. Turners Falls firefighters went out onto the river in the boat, where they found and secured the body, before turning the scene over to Montague and State Police.
Gill Fire Department also launched a boat during recovery efforts.
Bushay said officials are waiting to officially identify the body and notify family members before they give any more information.
“It often takes a long time to identify a body recovered from the river,” said Mary Carey, communications director at the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office. “We don’t have any other information at this time.”
Carey said the medical examiner must make an official determination before any official statement can be made. She wouldn’t provide any other information.
The discovery comes about a week after a memorial service for John Bean, former Greenfield Public Works Superintendent, who family members’ believe took his own life by jumping off the French King Bridge May 18.
Jan Jee Bean, John Bean’s wife of more than 30 years, said the Greenfield native had been depressed and anxious in the days leading up to his apparent suicide.
Rescue divers, with the help of a state police helicopter and boats, searched the river for days after they discovered his car parked near the bridge.
You can reach Andy Castillo at:
acastillo@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 263
On Twitter: @AndyCCastillo