Two men drowned in the San Joaquin River within 24 hours.
Sunday, 20-year-old Nick Gilbert from Fresno went swimming with two female friends. "We heard 'help', and his brother and two of our friends ran in there and tried to save him," said Chris Knouf, a friend who witnessed the drowning. They did not get there in time. Knouf saw Gilbert get pulled under water by the swift current, near Santa Fe and Bluffs Ave. in Northwest Fresno.
Monday morning, just hours after that first drowning, a 25-year-old Hispanic male suffered the same fate about five miles down the river, near Skaggs Bridge. Two of his friends tried to help, "The current took him out about 75 yards, they were able to get some rest, come back and get him, pulled him out of the water, began CPR," said Sgt. Francis Devins, with the Fresno County Sheriff's Department. The Fresno County Coroner tells CBS47 the man died, his identity was not released pending family notification.
As the weather gets hotter, residents should keep in mind the dangers of swimming in rivers. Posted signs point out there are rocks, deep water and swift currents.
Crews searched by air and water for Gilbert. "We could find him hung up on some bushes a short distance away, or actually the current could take him a long way down river," said Chris Curtice with the Fresno County Sheriff's Department.
"If its bad, we just, we want closure," said Knouf.
Crews ended the search for Gilbert around 5pm Monday, they have not decided if they will continue to look for the body on Tuesday.