Pittsboro, NC – The body of a missing fisherman who was swept away by the current below the B. Everett Jordan Dam has been recovered.
Nestor Margarito Ramirez Menjivar, 21, of Fayetteville, was fishing near the dam’s wall around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19, when he lost his footing and fell into the river. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene and immediately began search efforts, but initial attempts to locate him were unsuccessful.
Search operations resumed this morning, June 20. A drone located Mr. Menjivar’s body, and recovery personnel removed him from the water just before 8 a.m. His family has been notified.
“This is a heartbreaking outcome, and our deepest sympathies are with the Menjivar family,” said Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson. “We are grateful to the emergency responders and partner agencies who worked very hard to bring him home.”
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the search and recovery efforts by the Moncure Fire Department, Chatham County Emergency Management, Chatham County Emergency Communications, Army Corps of Engineers, FirstHealth EMS, Cape Fear Fire Department, Chatham County Medical Examiner’s Office, N.C. Highway Patrol, and Lee County Emergency Management.
The area below the dam is known for fast-moving water and slippery, uneven terrain. Officials urge the public to exercise extreme caution near all waterways and to wear a life jacket when fishing, boating, or wading near currents.