Emergency personnel responded about 2 p.m. Sunday to the Mississippi River after someone observed a body floating in the water while fishing from their boat.

The Columbia Fire Department launched a rescue boat from Luhr’s Landing to meet the fisherman on the river a few miles south of the Jefferson Barracks Bridge. The deceased body was secured by about 2:50 p.m.

Other agencies responding to the incident included Columbia EMS, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services and Monroe County Coroner’s Office.

MCSD investigators and the coroner’s office are actively working to identify the deceased and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“Preliminary information indicates the individual is a white female,” an MCSD press release states, adding that an investigation is ongoing.