Body of man found in Yantic River in Norwich

Norwich ― Police and fire crews recovered the body of what appeared to be an adult white male from the Yantic River at the edge of the far left side of the Stop & Shop grocery store parking lot Wednesday evening.

Police received a call shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday from a fisherman in the vicinity who said he thought he had seen a body in the water. The fisherman could not give police an exact location, so police and fire crews engaged in a 45-minute search before discovering the body at the base of the Route 2 overpass, police Detective Sgt. Scott Meickle said.

The Taftville Volunteer Fire Department dive team deployed its pontoon raft, and two firefighters went into the water, which Meickle estimated at 6 to 8 feet deep in that area. The body was retrieved using a basket and pulled up the steep embankment into a pop-up tent.

Police erected tarps to cover the sides of the tent to block views inside, where the body was wrapped up awaiting the arrival of investigators from the Chief State’s Medical Examiner’s office. Police cordoned off much of the grocery store’s side parking lot during the operation, at one point moving the tape farther back from the scene.

Meickle said an autopsy would be conducted Thursday.

Meickle said the man was fully clothed, wearing long pants, a sweatshirt, thermal underwear beneath his pants and shoes. Personal items were found in his pockets. No fishing gear was found with the man, Meickle said.

In addition to Norwich police and the Taftville dive team, crews from the Yantic Fire Engine Co. and East Great Plain Volunteer Fire Department responded to the incident. East Great Plain firefighters were setting up to use their drone to help in the search when the body was discovered, Meickle said.

c.bessette@theday.com