Search underway for man missing in Potomac River

Last sighting was around 1:35 p.m. on Virginia side

July 28, 2026 4:07 p.m.

The Potomac River near Great Falls. Photo credit: Joseph Thompson for the Montgomery County Council

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) crews and first responders from Virginia are searching for a swimmer who went missing in the Potomac River Tuesday afternoon.

A man entered the Potomac River on the Virginia side of Tuesday afternoon, according to first responder radio transmissions.

The person was described as a man in his 20s, was going downstream wearing a black jersey with the number 58 and black shorts, according to first responder radio transmissions.

Another man called 911 to report the incident and later said he was having trouble breathing, according to radio transmissions. He was evaluated by first responders and refused transport to a hospital.

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Swimming in many areas of the Potomac River, especially near Great Falls, is prohibited, MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer has told Bethesda Today in the past. Despite many signs that warn people not to enter or swim in the water, people still do.

“Swimming is prohibited in those areas for good reason,” Piringer said. “It doesn’t matter where you go; the currents are always a challenge. They’re more dangerous and stronger down near the Great Falls.”

MCFRS and U.S. Park Police did not immediately respond to Bethesda Today’s request for comment.

Tuesday’s search is the latest in a series of emergencies on the Potomac River in recent months, despite repeated warnings from first responders and park officials about its powerful currents. Earlier this summer, a 20-year-old Towson University student and a 16-year-old boy died in separate swimming incidents in the river.

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine