23-year-old vanishes while crossing Delaware River with 2 other swimmers, officials say

A 23-year-old man was trying to swim across the Delaware River with two others when he began to struggle, officials with the National Park Service said.

While crossing near Prices Landing, he struggled in an area where the current is known to be “particularly swift” and vanished, officials say.

Christopher Schofield from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was last seen at about 8 p.m. local time Tuesday, June 21, according to a Delaware Water Gap news release. He went under water “just above the old bridge abutments about a half-mile upstream from the Interstate 80 toll bridge.”

Park officials say the two other swimmers made it to the New Jersey shore, where they were rescued by volunteers.

Several agencies are scouring the Delaware River in hopes of finding Schofield, according to the news release.

“Crews will reassess search operations at the end of the day if no recovery is made,” the June 22 statement says. “Crews are also keeping an eye on the weather which could affect the safety of rescuers. In the event of foul weather, the search will be suspended temporarily until conditions are again deemed safe.”

Officials say the three swimmers were not wearing life jackets.

The Delaware River runs between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and the Delaware Water Gap park provides outdoor activities on both sides of the river.