Body Of Missing Construction Worker Found, Identified OHP Says

OHP confirms they have found the body of the missing construction worker in the Cimarron River Wednesday morning.

Related Story: Recovery Effort Underway After Cimarron River Construction Accident 

OHP says he disappeared after the front-end loader he was operating sank into the river at the Highway 48 bridge near Mannford.

Investigators from OSHA are now involved. They've launched their own investigation into Tuesday’s accident along the Cimarron River.

Troopers identified the victim as 36-year-old Edwardo Garcia of Tulsa. OHP dive teams found his body Wednesday morning in nearly 10 feet of water near the construction site.

Troopers say Garcia was building a temporary rock bridge out into the water Tuesday afternoon when the gravel gave way and the front-end loader sank into the water. They found the front-end loader Tuesday night, but he was not inside.

"Once we located it, the divers went down, hooked cables to it ... the crew had a crane here ... we lifted it out, but he wasn't in it," said Trooper Dwight Durant.

ODOT is in charge of the site but they say Garcia worked for one of its contractors and did not work for the department.

Garcia worked for Manhattan Road & Bridge Company. They released the following statement:

"Our crews worked all night diligently with first responders, emergency personnel and the authorities to assist with the recovery effort after an accident at our project site off State Highway 48. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our team member involved in the accident, his family, friends and the remainder of the team affected. Safety for our workers is the top priority of our business every day, and we will continue to work with the appropriate authorities to investigate this accident."