Man drowns while snorkeling with girlfriend for ring in Gila River near Avondale

An Arizona man drowned while searching for a ring in the Gila River in an unincorporated area near Avondale, Maricopa County Sheriff’s officials said Monday.

In a statement sent to The Arizona Republic, the Sheriff's Office said deputies reported to 139th Avenue and Indian Springs Road about 5:15 p.m. Sunday in response to a woman who called them in distress.

When deputies arrived, the woman told them her boyfriend, 53-year-old Carlos Sanchez, was snorkeling in the river to find a ring when he went under and did not resurface. Both the Avondale Police Department and Sheriff's deputies searched for Sanchez, even flying the the Sheriff's Office helicopter across the river. They could not find the man and called off the night search.

On Monday morning, the Sheriff's Dive Team searched for Sanchez with divers and an underwater robot. Around 3 p.m., Sanchez's body was found, pulled from the river and turned over to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. No foul play is suspected at this time, officials said.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man drowns while snorkeling with girlfriend in Gila River near Avondale