Body recovered from Congaree River near Columbia

Authorities have recovered a dead body from the Congaree River in Richland County.

Richland County sheriff’s deputies were called to the river near U.S. 601 in Lower Richland around 12:30 p.m. Sunday after a witness reported seeing a body in the river, WLTX reports.

Deputies found a deceased individual on scene. Officers from the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and the Columia Fire Department also responded to the scene. The sheriff’s department crime scene unit processed the area and is investigating, and the Richland County coroner will perform an autopsy, according to ABC Columbia.

As of Monday morning, the person found in the river has not been identified, nor have authorities released a cause of death.

The body was found near the eastern end of Congaree National Park, where the river forms the line between Richland and Calhoun counties.

Bristow Marchant

The State

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Bristow Marchant covers local government, schools and community in Lexington County for The State. He graduated from the College of Charleston in 2007. He has almost 20 years of experience covering South Carolina at the Clinton Chronicle, Sumter Item and Rock Hill Herald. He joined The State in 2016. Bristow has won numerous awards, most recently the S.C. Press Association’s 2024 education reporting award.  Support my work with a digital subscription