Firefighters pull body from Missouri River near Riverfront Park in Kansas City

A death investigation is underway after firefighters pulled a body from the Missouri River near Riverfront Park east of downtown Kansas City, a police spokesman said.

Officers responded shortly after 6:15 p.m. Monday to investigate reports of a body floating in the Missouri near Riverfront Park, which is located near Front Street and Riverfront Road, said Sgt. Phil DiMartino with the Kansas City Police Department.

A water rescue crew from the Kansas City Fire Department responded to the park around 6:20 p.m. to assist police with retrieving the body, said Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins, a spokesman for the fire department.

Firefighters spotted the body floating just east of the boat ramp, in the current about 40 to 50 offshore and launched a rescue boat. They recovered the body about 6:50 p.m., Hopkins said.

The investigation into the person’s death is ongoing, DiMartino said. The person’s identity was unknown.