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Body recovered from river near UWO campus suspected to be Michael Philbin's

Kossms75@uwosh.edu

Published: Monday, January 9, 2012

Updated: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 21:01

Fox River Drowning

The search and rescue crew assists in mission to find a body suspected to be in the Fox River.

Fox River Drowning

Divers have recovered a body from the Fox River. Crew removes gear as the body is examined behind the blue tarp.

                A body of a 20-25 year-old white male was recovered from the Fox River directly behind AxelTech International near the UW Oshkosh campus at 3 p.m. today.

The Oshkosh Police Department has positively identified the body, but is not releasing that information due to family wishes.

Several media outlets have reported that the body is that of missing 21-year-old Michael Philbin of Ripon, the son of Green Bay Packer's offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.

Andrew Brandt, the NFL Business Analyst for ESPN, released on Twitter that he has spoken with Michael Philbin's family and friends who confirmed the body is in fact Philbin's. The Oshkosh Police Department has yet to confirm these statements.

Michael Philbin was last heard from at 2 a.m. Sunday while he was visiting friends in the UW Oshkosh area and was reported missing at 8:15 p.m. that evening. He was last seen on Wisconsin Avenue early Sunday morning, approximately a mile and a half from where the unidentified body was found today.

Philbin is not a UW Oshkosh student according to Oshkosh Crime Prevention and Public Information Officer Joseph Nichols.

An AxelTech security guard reported hearing someone fall through the ice and call for help around 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning, according to Winnebago County Sheriff's Capt. Todd Christie.

"The subject was found very near where the security guard reported hearing someone fall into the water," Christie said.

The body was recovered about 30 yards offshore at a depth of 15 feet. Weather conditions were ideal for the search operation, Christie said.

                "Visibility in the water was about 2-3 feet and there were perfect conditions for this search mission," Christie said.

                Approximately eight divers had been searching for a body since the incident was reported, according to Christie.

Canine units were also on scene from Independent K-9 and the K-9 Emergency Response Team to assist in the recovery effort.

Police do not suspect foul play at this time.

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