A 70-year-old man died Saturday while swimming with a friend in the Kennebec River.

The Maine Marine Patrol reports the body of John Charles Holmes of Georgetown was recovered Sunday morning by the Maine State Police/Marine Patrol dive team, aided by the Warden Service dive team. Officials say Holmes was swimming with a friend Saturday afternoon when he was unable to return to their boat, that was anchored approximately a half mile south of the town landing in Richmond. His friend was able to get back to the boat and called 911, when she saw that he was struggling in the current.

Members of the Marine Patrol responded to the scene yesterday with members of the drive team and started searching the area near where Holmes' boat was anchored. When they were unable to find him, they called off the search at nightfall. The search resumed Sunday morning, and Holmes' body was located at around 8:30 a.m. by dive team members who were using a side scan sonar.

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