MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -
After a 15 hour search, a 55 year old father of two drowned Thursday in Middlebury, Vermont.
We first told you about this Thursday night as the search was going on, but we have since learned that his body was recovered.
Just four years ago, a college student drowned in this same area. Otter Creek in Middlebury is just down the street from the main drag, and just about a hundred feet from the shore line, is where dive teams recovered 55 year old Yadji Moussa's body.
"I'm heartbroken, I keep hearing his voice on the phone," long-time friend Michelle Moss said.
Police say 55-year old Yadji Moussa was a strong swimmer, but Otter Creek was stronger.
"It's not a good, safe place to swim," Police Chief Tom Hanley said.
It has a narrow and deep channel with a violent current, thanks to the nearby dam.
"There is a bit of a hazard here, there's a lot of underwater obstructions, we don't know what caused him to go under at this point," Chief Hanley added.
With Thursday's record breaking heat wave, Moussa went for a dip with three people he knew, the trio told police they saw him go under, and then never come up.
"We had a good idea where the swimmer went under, so that's where we began our search," Chief Hanley said.
The night sky put the search on hold, but Friday morning, searchers picked up right where they started. It took divers three hours to locate Moussa's body on the bottom of the creek.
People are allowed to swim in the creek, Police say it is legal, but after I walked around the entire area, I couldn't find one sign that indicates just how dangerous the water levels are.
Friends of Moussa's hope that changes, so that another tragedy, like this one, can be avoided.
"He was a real good guy and everybody here knew it. He would give to anybody," Moss said.
Police say foul play is not suspected and that the drowning appears to be accidental. Moussa was transported to the medical examiner's office in Burlington for an autopsy.
