Quincy man drowns in Great Miami River

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PIQUA — A Quincy man died Sunday in an apparent drowning on the Great Miami River in Piqua.

Kyle Ratcliff, 29, had been transported to the Upper Valley Medical Center by the Piqua Fire Department where he was pronounced dead.

Piqua police reported that emergency dispatchers received a call from a citizen shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday reporting an overturned watercraft floating in the river near the dam. A short time later, the same caller reported seeing a body near the boat.

Upon arrival, first responders rushed into the waters and pulled Ratcliff to shore. They re-entered the water to recover the victim’s watercraft and to search the river and both banks to make sure that Ratcliff was alone at the time of the incident.

Ratcliff reportedly was an avid duck hunter, very familiar with that stretch of river, and had made the same trip as recently as Christmas weekend.

He had reportedly left Port Jefferson at 9 a.m. and was to be picked up by a family member at Treasure Island in Troy.

Piqua police are still investigating the drowning.