Man drowns trying to save 3 children from Arkansas River

VAN BUREN -- An 18-year-old man drowned Saturday while trying to save three children from the swift Arkansas River current in which they were swimming.

Crawford County Sheriff Ron Brown said divers with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recovered the body of Erik Rene Santiago-Antanio of Fort Smith about 6:15 p.m. Sunday about a half-mile downstream from Lock and Dam 13 at Barling.

The body was recovered about 100 feet from the spot where witnesses said he went under and didn't resurface, Brown said.

He said Santiago-Antanio was fishing about 7:30 p.m. Saturday when two 14-year-old girls and a 10-year-old boy who were with him began struggling while swimming against the river current.

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Santiago-Antanio went into the river to assist them and helped the two girls reach the river bank. Brown said he then went back after the boy.

A second fisherman, whom Brown didn't identify Monday, saw the rescue and went into the water to help. Brown said as the second fisherman went into the water, he saw Santiago-Antanio go underwater and never resurface. The fisherman swam out to the boy and took him to shore.

The second fisherman's wife recorded the rescue on her phone, and Brown said searchers used the video to pinpoint the spot where Santiago-Antanio went under to begin the search.

Crawford County Search and Rescue and the Fort Smith Fire Department searched the river for Santiago-Antanio until 1 a.m. Sunday, Brown said.

The search resumed briefly Sunday morning until stormy weather forced a halt, he said. Officers from several agencies took up the search Sunday afternoon, dragging the river and using sonar.

An Arkansas Game and Fish Commission boat picked up a reading on sonar and divers went into the water and recovered Santiago-Antanio's body.

State Desk on 06/20/2017

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