Diland, 14, had just finished his freshman year at Chicopee High School; he was described as fun, respectful and energetic.
Chicopee police and fire officials stand over a bridge on the Chicopee River, searching for a 14-year-old who drown in the river.CHICOPEE – The body of a 14-year-old boy was found in the Chicopee River on Tuesday after the police dive team spent more than seven hours searching the depths of the water.
Police found the teenager around 11 a.m. in an area just below the dam, Police Chief John R. Ferraro Jr. said.
The spot is north of Ames Avenue, or about 400 feet north of the Chicopee Public Library, 449 Front St.
Ferraro identified the teenager as Michael Diland, 14, a Chicopee resident.
Diland was the second teenager to drown Monday. Kevin Major, a 19-year-old from Westfield, drowned after jumping off a pontoon boat in the Congamond Lakes in Southwick at about 4:30 p.m. Monday. His body was found Tuesday morning.
Diland was swimming with two friends, who were jumping off the dam in the river. He was the last one in and slipped off the waterfall at about 6:45 p.m. Monday, said Elvin Diaz, one of the three friends.
“I was the first one to jump and I saw him,” Diaz said.
There is drop of about 15 feet from the top of the dam and there are rocks below. Swimmers usually jump out a little to avoid those rocks.
It is not known if the boy drowned or was injured before he fell into the water. His body was taken to the Hampden Medical Examiner for an autopsy. The accident is being investigated by police, Ferraro said.
The search, which was led by the Chicopee police dive team, headed by Capt. Steven G. Muise, and assisted by the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing and Chicopee Fire Department, started just before 7 p.m. Monday and lasted several hours until darkness made it difficult. It resumed early Tuesday morning, Ferraro said.
The swift current made the search difficult. Eventually officials were able to have the water diverted from the dam to a side canal to make the search easier, Ferraro said.
“It is a very sad day for the family and the friends and the city. It is sad for the divers,” he said.
He said the swimmers were not doing anything wrong, they were just trying to cool off from the 90-degree heat.
Adults and children from the nearby Chicopee neighborhood gathered Monday night hoping the 14-year-old would be found alive.
Mariangelly Vazquez, 14, said her friend was always fun to be around. He was always awake and excited.
“He liked to try out new things. He loves skateboarding and he likes riding bikes,” she said.
Diland had just finished his freshman year at Chicopee High School.
“He was soft-spoken, he was quick with a smile and he was always respectful with me,” said Charles W. Coscore, a vice principal at the school.
School officials are discussing if they will offer counseling services to students who need them, he said.