Officials warn of drowning risks after second body recovered from Appomattox

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- After a second man was found dead in the Appomattox River in less than two weeks, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is reminding people of the risks open water could be hiding.

The Chesterfield County Police Department said they received a call about a body floating in the river in the afternoon of Monday, July 21. He was recovered soon after and was pronounced dead on the scene.

His identity has not yet been released. On Facebook, Petersburg Fire and EMS, who also responded to the scene, said the man had been in the water for a "significant amount of time."

This comes less than two weeks after another man was recovered from the river on July 9, following a search for someone who fell in while fishing the day prior. On Tuesday, July 22, police identified him as 34-year-old Jose Ulloa.

VDH said this trend is concerning and serves as a reminder of the importance of water safety for all ages.

"If you're out and about with friends and family, regardless of how old you are, actively supervising each other is essential to water safety," Briana Bill, Environmental Health Coordinator at VDH said. "And when we say active supervision, we mean you're actively engaged in the act of watching each other without a level of distraction."

Recent weather events in the Chesterfield area can make rivers like the Appomattox even more dangerous. Heavy rains and flash flooding can move downed trees and other debris downstream.

"Even if the flood waters recede and water levels are back to normal, those hazards are still present in the river," Bill said. "So it's possible that if you're familiar with a river and you've recreated in it before and there's never been a problem, it's a changing environment."

VDH advises people to never swim alone or after dark, especially in natural environments like open water.

No other information is known about the man recovered on July 21 at the time of reporting. Chesterfield Police is handling the investigation.