By Brendan Rascius
The Charlotte Observer
COLERAIN, Ohio — A man drowned after falling into a pond and disappearing under the surface just as a rescuer was about to reach him, Ohio officials said.
The incident occurred on a farm in Colerain shortly after sunset on Feb. 14, according to a news release from the Colerain Township Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
The man, 24, was canoeing on the pond when he fell in, officials said.
An off-duty firefighter living nearby heard noise, saw someone in the water and rushed over to the pond to attempt a rescue, officials said.
However, when he was about five feet away, the man vanished below the surface and out of sight.
First responders arrived on the scene, and water rescue technicians used canoes to search for the man, officials said.
Additional boats were launched, and a special operations team capable of underwater sweeps was requested.
“Rescue activities were eventually transitioned to a recovery operation,” officials said.
With the help of sonar, divers found the man’s body around 11:15 p.m. — about five hours after he fell into the water.
The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office completed a preliminary investigation, and the body was taken to a morgue.
Colerain Township is about 20 miles northwest of Cincinnati.
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