He couldn’t swim and crews searching the river aren’t hopeful they’ll find him alive

The search for a fishermen who fell into the Puyallup River resumed Tuesday morning.

“In all likelihood, this is a recovery effort now,” Sumner spokeswoman Carmen Palmer said.

Rescue teams were called to the area shortly after 5 p.m. Monday when the man’s wife called 911 to report her husband had slipped and fallen into the water.

The 46-year-old Tacoma man does not know how to swim and was not wearing a life jacket, officials said.

Several people heard a girl screaming for help and pointing toward the water. Xeilias Canani, who was barbecuing along the riverbank, was one of the people who jumped into the water to help look for the man. He quickly retreated after realizing how cold the water was and how quickly the current was moving.

“I don’t know what to feel,” he told KOMO-TV.

Crews started the search for the man near the Sumner Link trail where he went into the water. His wife and children did not fall into the water.

Rescue divers and a Coast Guard helicopter joined the search.

By 9:30 p.m., rescuers were called off as dark descended.

They resumed the search at 7 a.m., working until 4:30 p.m. without success.

This story was originally published May 30, 2017 at 8:29 AM with the headline "He couldn’t swim and crews searching the river aren’t hopeful they’ll find him alive."