A woman is missing after jumping into a fast-moving New Jersey river to rescue a girl who was reportedly in distress.
The incident happened Monday, Aug. 24, shortly before 4 p.m. at Amico Island Park along the Delaware River in Delran, N.J., according to the Delran Police Department.
When officers arrived at the scene, they learned that the woman had entered the river to help the girl. According to officials, the woman managed to push the child toward the shore, where bystanders were able to pull the girl safely from the water.
However, the woman was swept underwater and did not resurface.
“The witnesses said they saw her go under and not resurface,” Delran Fire Department Deputy Chief Kevin Peak told NJ.com. He also said the woman’s family had not heard from her.
The woman has not been publicly identified.
Emergency crews launched a search operation following the incident, with efforts continuing into Tuesday morning, as authorities searched the river for any sign of the missing woman.
The case has drawn attention to the dangers of attempting to enter fast-moving water during a rescue. While the girl was successfully brought to safety, the woman who entered the river to help her remains missing.
Authorities have not publicly released further details about the woman’s identity or the circumstances that led to the girl entering the water.
The search remains ongoing as officials work to locate the missing rescuer.