Rescuers find body of Northwestern University rower who fell overboard

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Authorities found the body of a Northwestern University rower in a channel in a north Chicago suburb after he fell overboard during morning practice on Monday, the university said. Rescue workers retrieved the body of Mohammed Ramzan, 19, following the mishap during a men's team practice session in the North Shore Channel near the campus, the university said in a statement. "We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to Mohammed’s family and friends," said Patricia Telles-Irvin, the university's vice president for student affairs. "The loss affects us all." A coach was accompanying the rowers in a separate boat and another team member dived into the water in a bid to rescue the rower, said Alan Cubbage, vice president for university relations, in a separate statement. Several law enforcement and fire department agencies searched for Ramzan, said Jason Bradley, a spokesman for the Illinois State Police. The rower was not wearing a life jacket, NBC affiliate WMAQ-TV reported, citing Cubbage. Crew is a club sport at Northwestern, a private university with about 21,000 students in Evanston, Illinois. The team was founded in 1981, according to its website. (Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago and Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Clarence Fernandez)