Hillside man drowns in Delaware River

Hillside man drowns in Delaware River

by Mariam Jukaku/The Star-Ledger Sunday July 27, 2008, 12:32 PM


A Hillside man drowned in the Delaware River Saturday evening after going for a swim, according to the National Park Service.

Michael Salazar, 37, was swimming near the canoe launch of the Kittatinny Point Visitor Center on the Jersey side of the river around 5 p.m. Saturday, when emergency officials received a call for help.
The Union County man was at Kittatinny Point for a picnic with his wife, their 8-year-old son and friends.
A family friend, 18-year-old Kimberly Delacruz of Belleville, says Salazar began splashing and calling for help. She said his wife thought he was joking for a minute before the group realized what was happening.
His body was recovered about three hours later, 50 yards off shore, by National Park Dive Team members. He was not wearing a personal flotation device.
The Delaware River water level is three feet above normal summer levels because of rain, according to the National Park Service, and the water muddy with little visibility.