A Massachusetts Environmental police officer slowly drives a boat in a designated area of the Westfield River as a Massachusetts State Police officer holds a yellow tow-rope that is connected to a Massachusetts State Police Underwater Recovery Team member during a search for a lost swimmer. The swimmer’s body was found moments after this photo was taken yesterday morning only about 100-yards from where the swimmer was reportedly having problems swimming Saturday evening. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD — Police say the weekend drowning death of a Springfield man in the Westfield River was an accident.
The body of 28-year-old Luis Robles was recovered at about 11 a.m. yesterday after several hours of searching by police and firefighters.
An autopsy is scheduled but police says it appears as if the drowning was accidental.
Robles was swimming with family members in the Westfield River in the area of Hancock and Park streets when he got into trouble at about 5:15 p.m. Saturday, went under the water and did not surface.
Authorities searched the river for several hours before dark Saturday, before resuming the search Sunday.
Troopers assigned to the State Police Underwater Recovery Team and the State Police Air Wing responded to assist the Westfield Police and Fire Departments with the search, which went from 6:30 to approximately 9:15 p.m Saturday.
The search resumed yesterday morning and concluded at approximately 11 a..m., when divers recovered the deceased victim downstream from where witnesses reported seeing him last.
Officers from the Massachusetts Environmental Police, troopers from the State Police Detective Unit attached to the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office, and troopers from the State Police Crime Scene Services Section were all on hand to assist State Police divers in recovering the body.
Westfield Police said that a person was reported to be missing in the river east of the Great River Bridge Saturday, which prompted city police and firefighters to begin searching the river before calling for State Police assistance.
