Updated: Police released the identity of the man June 13, 2012. He is identified as Ryan Bierle, 33, of Clinton, Iowa.
_______________________________________________
At 11:08 Monday morning, June 11, 2012, rescue crews from Bettendorf found the body of a white male in the Mississippi River between the mouth of Crow Creek and the Eagle's Nest Boat ramp.
"Bettendorf Fire did pull a body of a white male out of the river," says Lauran Haldeman, spokeswoman for the City of Bettendorf.
The name of the man pulled from the river has not been released yet. But it's believed by many to be a 27-year-old man from Clinton who fell in the river near Princeton Iowa Saturday evening.
This is just the latest in a number of incidents already this season on the water. Safety experts say the numbers are headed in the wrong direction compared to years past.
"We have seen that disturbing trend that there are these unfortunate accidents and mishaps and it's a tragedy," says Lou Ann McCracken of the Army Corp of Engineers
Every spring and summer McCracken teaches numerous boat safety classes. There have now been eight fatal accidents on our stretch of the Mississippi this year, McCracken says it's a reminder that danger is always present anytime you're near the water.
"Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye you just don't know and it's best to be prepared and wear your PFD's and be safe," says McCracken.
She adds there's no way of knowing why there's been so many drownings this year compared years past. The best way to keep accidents from happening she says is to always be prepared and to wear a Coast Guard approved Personal Floatation Device.
The male body pulled from the river Monday morning was taken to Genesis Hospital to be examined by the Scott County Coroner.