Late Tuesday night in west Phoenix, a grim scene unfolded along a canal near 23rd Avenue and Indian School Road, where Phoenix Fire crews recovered a man's body from the water. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and Phoenix Police have opened an investigation into what happened.
According to AZFamily, firefighters were called around midnight after reports of a person floating face-down. Crews arrived to find an unresponsive man and worked into Wednesday morning to remove his body. The outlet also published an image showing a Phoenix Fire dive team member rappelling into the canal during the recovery.
Recovery And Investigation
The Phoenix Fire Department maintains squad and dive-team capabilities for water rescues and recoveries, according to the city’s Phoenix Fire Department website, which outlines the technical-rescue tools crews use on canal incidents. Detectives from Phoenix Police took control of the scene and are working to determine how the man ended up in the water and the cause of death.
Other Recent Recoveries
This latest discovery adds to a string of water-related incidents across the Valley in recent months. ABC15 reported a body pulled from a canal near 43rd Avenue and Osborn Road earlier this month, and a similar recovery in April underscored how frequently first responders are called to the city’s waterways.
Canal Safety And Numbers
Phoenix Fire’s Phoenix Fire Department monthly drowning report tracks incidents by location type and lists canals among the sites that regularly require rescue resources, a reminder of the risks around urban waterways. Anyone with information about Tuesday’s case is asked to contact Phoenix Police or submit an anonymous tip to Silent Witness.
