RIO VISTA, Calif. (KTXL) — The bodies of the three men who went missing near Brannan Island were recovered Tuesday afternoon, according to the Rio Vista Fire Department.
Fire officials told FOX40 they recovered the bodies around 5 p.m. Chris Morales, a friend of the three men, previously identified them to FOX40 as Guistillo Rivas, Edwin Perez and Danilo Guterrez.
Morales said all three men were from Oakland.
The three men went missing after them and two other adults went into the water to save a child in the water near Three Mile Slough Bridge and Highway 160 on Sunday. The child made it back to shore, fire officials said.
The five adults were fishing on the riverbank while the child was swimming, Sgt. Rod Grassman from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office previously told FOX40. The five men went into the water to save the child after the kid began to struggle in the water.
“While we wish the outcome of this incident was very different, we continue to hope for healing and closure for the family and friends of those lost,” Rio Vista Fire Chief Jeff Armstrong said in a press release. “Far too many lives have been lost in our waterways and in the lakes and rivers of Northern California over the past few weeks.”
After the three men remained missing after hours of searching, Rio Vista fire officials said it became a “recovery mission” and assisted law enforcement in finding the missing individuals over the next two days.
FOX40 was previously told that none of the three men wore life jackets.
“We urge residents and visitors to wear proper life vests when in the water, and to consider life vests for children and young adults while on the shore,” Armstrong said. “The currents of the Sacramento River and its tributaries are strong and unpredictable.”