Public Safety / Life

Man Who Drowned Yesterday In The Delaware River Identified

- by Staff Writer

Wilmington – The victim in Sunday’s fatal boating accident on the Delaware River has been identified as Frank Montana IV, 40, of Penns Grove, N.J., according to DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, who were among agencies searching for a missing man throughout the afternoon and into the night before the body was recovered.

Mr. Montana and a passenger were in a 12-foot flat-bottom boat that capsized Sunday afternoon in rough waters approximately 200 yards out in the river off Penns Grove, N.J. The men were setting recreational crab pots at the time of the incident, according to the passenger, who managed to swim ashore.

Witnesses told investigating Natural Resource Police officers that Mr. Montana was seen swimming approximately 100 yards from shore before he went underwater and did not resurface. Emergency responders from Delaware, New Jersey and the U.S. Coast Guard conducted search and rescue efforts for several hours, until water conditions became unsafe for divers.

At about 9:50 p.m., a Penns Grove homeowner spotted Mr. Montana’s body along shore behind his residence. The victim’s body was recovered and turned over to the Delaware Medical Examiner’s office.

The boat passenger was transported to Memorial Hospital of Salem County, N.J. and treated for hypothermia and water inhalation.

The DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police investigation into the accident is continuing.

Original Story

Penns Grove, New Jersey – Two cousins checking on crab traps Sunday afternoon were thrown into the Delaware River, when their boat capsized near Penns Grove, New Jersey, according to officials with DNREC.

One of the men, 30-years-old, was able to swim to shore while the other, a 40-year-old man,  went under the water, according reports from the scene. Authorities from the Coast Guard, Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvanian were on scene until the search was suspend at around 7:30 p.m. due to water conditions.

Delaware State Police and Coast Guard Helicopters along with boats from Wilmington Police, Goodwill Fire Company could be seen searching for the missing man.

Late reports from the scene indicate that the missing man had drowned and has been recovered

Original Release