MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ – State police have recovered the body of a diver who disappeared while looking for some missing construction equipment in a Monmouth County river.

Robert Renner was part of a crew that’s constructing a 65-foot fixed span bridge to replace the aging Highlands-Sea Bright Bridge, but was off duty when he entered the Shrewsbury River on Saturday.

Renner was trying to recover unspecified equipment that had fallen from the bridge earlier in the week. But when the 42-year-old Highlands resident failed to resurface, two people who were with him notified authorities shortly before noon.

His body was recovered about six hours later.

Officials say the area where Renner was diving is filled with debris and known for swift currents, and rescuers had to wait a few hours until they could safely enter the water.

The cause of death was not immediately known.

The Associated Press