News Release

Crews Search Delaware River for missing swimmer

Date: June 22, 2022

Crews search Delaware River for missing swimmer      

BUSHKILL, PA- National Park Service rangers and dive team members from Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, staff from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and volunteers from the Portland Hook and Ladder Company, Knowlton Township Fire and Rescue Company, and Pennsylvania Search and Rescue Recovery Team (SARRT) are engaged in a search for a missing swimmer who was reported to be struggling in the water while attempting to swim across the Delaware River near Prices Landing at around 8 pm on Tuesday evening.    

Christopher Schofield, 23, from Stroudsburg, was attempting to swim across the river with two other people when he began struggling in the current which is particularly swift in this section of the Delaware. He was last seen going under water just above the old bridge abutments about a half-mile upstream from the Interstate 80 toll bridge.  The other two swimmers made it to the New Jersey shore and were later rescued by volunteer rescue team members.  None of the three swimmers were wearing a life jacket.  

The combined search crews will continue to scour the Delaware River, both above and below the surface, throughout the day today using ground and river surface searches, divers, side scan sonar, and a cadaver dog. Crews will reassess search operations at the end of the day if no recovery is made. 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 

Updates will be provided when they are available.