Fire crews from Fairfax and Montgomery counties resumed searching the Potomac River on Wednesday, July 29, for a 25-year-old man who disappeared while swimming near Sandy Landing the day before.

The man has not been found.

A companion called 911 from the Virginia shoreline at about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, reporting two swimmers in distress south of Sandy Landing, near the Anglers boat ramp. One swimmer, described as in his late teens or early 20s, pulled himself onto the Virginia shore and was evaluated by Fairfax County Fire and Rescue at the scene. He declined hospital transport.

The 25-year-old was last seen just south of Sandy Landing. Authorities have not released his name.

Nine swift-water rescue boats deployed Tuesday afternoon, five from Montgomery County, four from Fairfax County, along with sonar equipment, underwater drones and K9 units, WJLA reported. The U.S. Park Police Eagle helicopter also searched the area from above. Teams from Loudoun County assisted, according to NBC Washington.

The search covered a three-quarter-mile stretch of river between Sandy Landing and Anglers. Officials said the water in that area can reach 50 feet deep.

Severe weather forced crews to suspend operations around 5 p.m. Tuesday. By that evening, officials indicated the effort had transitioned from rescue to recovery.

Third incident this summer

A third swimmer has gone missing in the Potomac near Great Falls since June. Nazir Bell, a 20-year-old rising senior at Towson University, died after swimming near the Billy Goat Trail with friends in June. A 16-year-old died earlier in July after swimming with friends in the Sandy Landing area.

Swimming and wading in the Potomac around Great Falls is illegal under federal law, punishable by a $200-or-more fine and a required appearance in federal court. The National Park Service warns that 51 percent of all river-related injuries in the Potomac River Gorge are fatal, and that invisible underwater currents can pull a person 15 to 30 feet below the surface.

Public safety crews regularly patrol the Sandy Landing area on weekends to warn visitors about the dangers. Residents who see swimmers in the river can call Fairfax County Fire and Rescue's non-emergency line or 911 if someone is in distress.