Emergency responders are combing the Passaic River for a missing 10-year-old girl following a Wednesday evening incident that claimed the life of a young boy.
The tragedy occurred around 6:21 p.m. near the Dundee Island Park boat launch and the Pulaski Park off-ramp, where three children fell into the water.
While an 11-year-old girl managed to escape the river safely, her 10-year-old brother was found dead hours later, and their 10-year-old friend remains unaccounted for.
Passaic Mayor Hector Lora provided details on the harrowing moment the survivor escaped with her brother’s help.
“As he was going under, he pushed her, and she ended up by the rocks, and she climbed out,” Lora said in reports from NBC New York and ABC7 New York.
The mayor further noted that the survivor is back with her mother but remains deeply concerned for her brother and friend.
A bystander in the park reportedly jumped into the river to assist the struggling children but was pushed away by the powerful current.
Search crews located the body of the 10-year-old boy just before 11 p.m. about 50 feet from where he initially fell into the water.
Authorities noted the river was running high and fast following heavy rains and flooding that impacted the region on Tuesday.
The Wallington Fire Department and Paterson Police Department have deployed marine units to assist in the search efforts.
Mayor Lora explained the shift in the nature of the operation as the hours passed without finding the missing girl.
“The search for the missing girl was ongoing, but Lora said what was once a rescue mission has turned into a recovery mission based on how long she had been missing,” NBC New York reported.
The Passaic River flows approximately 80 miles through northern New Jersey before emptying into Newark Bay.
Local officials emphasized the importance of community support for the grieving families involved in the accident.
“The mother is obviously overwhelmed with grief, as we are as a community, but we must stand strong together in support of the family,” Lora said per NBC New York.