A group of divers exploring the depths of the Calumet River near Chicago discovered the body of a missing elderly man who disappeared in 2022.
James Jackson, 71, was found inside his white Ford Transit van at the body of the Calumet River after his family reached out to Chaos Divers, a dive team made up of civilians, to help locate him after he disappeared in August 2022, CBS Chicago reported Tuesday. Going off the last pinged location of Jackson’s cell phone, Chaos Diver Britain Lockhart found Jackson’s van after three days of searching.
“I drove down, noticed that the vehicle was white, made my way to the driver-side window, and Mr. Jackson was inside,” Lockhart told the outlet. (RELATED: Woman Found Dead In Car Submerged On Edge Of Niagara Falls)
Chaos Divers travel the country in an RV 250 days out of the year, helping families find missing loved ones using scuba gear and sonar technology. They don’t charge law enforcement or families, relying on donations for their services, according to CBS Chicago.
Jackson’s daughter, Giana, told CBS Chicago that when she saw the dive team’s number flash across her screen, her “heart stopped,” because she knew they had found her father. “Although I’m happy that we have found him, it’s also bittersweet. That the hope I had, that we would find him, is no longer there,” she said.
While the medical examiner in Chicago is still working to verify that the recovered remains are indeed those of Jackson, Lockhart was able to remove the license plates of the submerged vehicle, confirming it belonged to Jackson.
“We want to express our gratitude to [Jackson’s family] for allowing us to be a part of this and trusting us to help them,” Chaos Divers said in a release.
Chicago police are still investigating Jackson’s disappearance, the outlet reported.