Accokeek, MD – The Maryland Natural Resources Police confirmed that the body of Bniamin Adel Rastkheez, 31 of Falls Church, VA was found Tuesday morning, July 19 in the Potomac River. The body was recovered nearly 40 hours after Rastkheez disappeared in the water after trying to retrieve a fishing rod. His is the eighth boating fatality in Maryland waters in 2016.

UPDATE – Monday evening, July 18

Accokeek, MD – The boater who is missing and feared drowned in the Potomac River has been identified by authorities as Bniamin Adel Rastkheez, 31 of Falls Church, VA.

On Monday afternoon the Coast Guard announced the search for Rastkheez’s body has been suspended.

 Accokeek, MD – A Northern Virginia man who fell off a boat while fishing in the Potomac River Sunday afternoon, July 17, remains missing, Maryland authorities reported.

Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) spokeswoman Candy Thomson told The BayNet that the incident occurred around 5 p.m. near Mount Vernon, VA. Two men and a woman were fishing in a 16-foot Stingray. A fishing pole fell in the water and one of the boaters, a 31-year-old man from Northern Virginia jump in the water to retrieve it. “He began to struggle,” Thomson reported, adding that the two other boaters threw the man a vest and a line, neither of which he was able to reach. “The boat continued to drift. One of the boaters called 911. But the man slipped under water and wasn’t seen again.”

Thomson said the initial rescue operation involved seven boats and a helicopter.

Agencies involved in the search included NRP, the Coast Guard, Prince George’s County Fire Department, Charles County Dive and Rescue Team and a Virginia Marine unit.

According to Thomson, crews are now conducting a recovery operation. This would be the sixth boating fatality in 2016 on Maryland waterways.

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com

Potomac River— A recovery effort is underway for the body of 31-year-old male Falls Church, Va man, who jumped into Potomac River from his boat to retrieve a fishing rod.

Prince George’s Fire Department  units including Rescue Boats 858 & 847 are assisting Charles County searching Potomac for a male that fell from his vessel & went underwater at Buoy 71, according to the Public Information Officer Mark Brady. 

Also assisting in the search is Maryland Natural Resources Police, also well as rescue boats from Virgina.