GILCHRIST COUNTY - Family members of two missing Gilchrist County men say they have found some closure after the body of one of the men was recovered in the Suwannee River on Monday. 

 

The body of Al Melendez, 38, was found by a family friend who was searching the river using another friend's boat early Monday afternoon. Both Melendez and his daughter's boyfriend, Haemont Nathooran, 19, had been missing since they were swept into the river a week ago while trying to rescue one of Melendez's sons from the swift current. 

 

Gilchrist County Sheriff's deputies say they decided to scale down their own search effort on Sunday after a week of searching turned up no trace of the two men. But given Monday's discovery, deputies say they will now shift their search back to a full-scale operation.

 

Meantime, Nathooran's family members continue to hold out hope that the body of their loved one will soon be recovered as well.