WBRZ - Baton Rouge

ST. MARTINVILLE - Searchers found the body of a Baton Rouge firefighter today after he disappeared into the Belle River more than three weeks ago.

Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack said Jacob Lewis, 28, was found more than a mile from where he disappeared into the river while docking a boat on Jan. 30.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office were on the scene helping with the body retrieval. They said the clothing and ID on the body both matched Lewis.

Lewis' wife told investigators he was trying to dock his boat when she turned away. When she looked back he had gone into the river, and was waving his arms yelling for her to call for help before he disappeared.

Volunteers from across the country flew in to help with the search, which involved dredging the river bottom and using SONAR equipment.