Body of 24-year-old man who went missing in Fraser River found in Richmond
Police say Kory Nagata jumped into the Fraser River Sunday night to retrieve a football
The body of a 24-year-old man who went missing in the Fraser River Sunday night has been found, Richmond RCMP say.
Police say Kory Nagata's body was located just before noon on Monday, at low tide near the spot where he went into the water.
Nagata and others had docked a boat alongside the pier near the Pacific Gateway Hotel, according to a statement released by Richmond RCMP. Cpl. Ian Henderson said Nagata had jumped into the water to retrieve a football that had gone into the Fraser River.
Witnesses told police he managed to get the ball, but then wasn't able to get back onto the dock and disappeared from view. Two other people jumped into the water to try to help, but weren't able to save him.
Police, along with the coast guard and Richmond Fire Rescue, were called at about 9:30 p.m. and searched for a few hours before suspending the effort for the night.
The search resumed Monday morning. Using a helicopter, drone, ATVs and several boats, Nagata's body was eventually found.
In the statement, police said that the search conditions were calm and still Sunday night, however the "unpredictable nature of the Fraser River during runoff season appears to have played a significant role in this tragic incident."
Hypothermia may have also been a factor, and it's unclear whether alcohol was involved, Richmond RCMP said.
The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds marked Nagata's death in an Instagram post noting he played football for the school as a running back from 2016 to 2018.
Nagata studied at the Sauder School of Business and was named an Academic All-Canadian in the 2018-19 season, the team said.
"Kory's loss will be felt deeply by all members of the Thunderbirds community," the post read. "We offer our sincere condolences to the Nagata family as well as Kory's friends and teammates."