BUTLER COUNTY — The body recovered from the Great Miami River in Butler County on Thursday has been identified as a Dayton man.
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Eric Blakley, 47, was identified on Friday by the Butler County Coroner’s Office.
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As previously reported, a 911 caller reported seeing what appeared to be a body in the river near the dam in Hamilton shortly before noon.
The Butler County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Services (ERS) Team responded to the scene and initiated a recovery operation, according to the sheriff’s office.
The team was able to recover Blakley’s body.
The coroner’s office ruled his cause of death as drowning and his manner of death as accident.
In a statement, Sheriff Richard K. Jones told people not to underestimate the power of moving water.
“The river may look calm on the surface, but strong currents and undertows can quickly pull a person under and make it extremely difficult to recover. If you are going to be in or around the river, always wear a properly fitted life jacket. It can save your life,” Jones said.
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