****UPDATE: Race organizers issued a statement from the family of van der Horst:

“The family of Charles Van Der Horst of Chapel Hill, NC is deeply saddened to confirm the loss of our beloved Charlie. He was participating in several stages of the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim when he went under at the finish of Stage 6. 

Charlie exemplified living life to its fullest. He put all of his passion and zest into everything he did, from his love of his family, friends and community, to his swimming to his work on social justice and in the medical field. At this time we ask that you respect our wishes for privacy as we mourn this tragic loss.”

__________

Divers are searching for a Chapel Hill man who went missing during Friday’s leg of a week-long race in the Hudson River.

CBS News in New York is reporting that rescue crews were in the water around 3 p.m. Friday and were expected to continue the search on Saturday.

The missing man has been identified as 67-year-old Charles van der Horst, who retired from the UNC School of Medicine as an infectious disease specialist. He specialized in AIDS research.

van der Horst was reportedly participating in the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim when he went missing.

UNC Health Care issued a statement via social media that said the School of Medicine “is shocked and saddened at the news that Dr. Charles van der Horst (retired from UNC) has been reported missing following a multi-day swimming race in New York’s Hudson River. Our thoughts are with Dr. van der Horst’s family at this time.”

Organizers called off Saturday’s final leg of the race.

Related Stories
‹
UNC: Phishing Incident Possibly Exposes Information of 3,700 Individuals
More than 3,700 individuals may have had their personal information exposed as a result of a data breach at the UNC School of Medicine. The university announced the breach on Tuesday, following a “lengthy and extensive review conducted by a leading independent forensic firm” found that “an unauthorized third party gained access to several email […]
Durham Tech Partners With UNC to Launch New Anesthesia Technology Program
Durham Tech is partnering with the UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health Care to launch a new Anesthesia Technology program. It will be the only one of its kind in the state, and is expected be part of the 11 approved programs across the country. “We’re very excited about this collaboration,” said Durham Tech […]
Bond Proposal Could Bring New School of Medicine Facility to UNC
The UNC School of Medicine is introducing new curriculum and could be moving into a new facility. This was part of a presentation from Dr. Julie Byerley, vice dean for education and chief education officer at the school. She laid out curriculum changes to the Board of Trustees at its meeting on Thursday. Byerley said […]
Accidental Alarm Registration; "Better Back Care"; August Pet Adoption
If you're in Chapel Hill and you haven't registered your alarm yet, now is the time to do it.
UNC Men's Soccer Beats Boston College for 3rd Consecutive Win
Joschi Schelb recorded a brace within the match’s first 22 minutes to help UNC earn a 3-1 road win at Boston College Sunday afternoon. It’s the Tar Heels’ third consecutive win and first in ACC play this season. 3️⃣ on the trot for your Heels 👌 UNC wins their third straight with a comprehensive victory […]
No. 3 Notre Dame Pulls Away in Second Half, Beats UNC Football in Chapel Hill
No. 3 Notre Dame imposed its will in the second half at a rainy Kenan Stadium, pulling away from a spunky Tar Heel team for a 37-26 win Saturday. “Hard-fought game,” head coach Bill Belichick said afterward. “Proud of the way our guys competed. We just weren’t able to make enough plays, really in any […]
First-Half Flurry Helps UNC Women's Soccer Dispatch No. 12 Notre Dame
Top-ranked UNC scored three goals in the first half to build an early lead against No. 12 Notre Dame at Dorrance Field Friday night, and the Tar Heels cruised from there to a 4-1 victory. Heels on top!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/SD8Iic7759 — UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) October 3, 2026 Reigning ACC Offensive Player of the […]
Win Streak Rolls On as UNC Field Hockey Shuts Out No. 16 Louisville
UNC scored two goals in less than two minutes in the third quarter to break a scoreless tie, and the Tar Heels didn’t let up in a 3-0 win at No. 16 Louisville Friday afternoon. Off to the races! Heels keep rolling!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/Qeb6CjBRnx — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) October 2, 2026 The game […]
The Morning News: Chatham Housing, UNC Football Preview
In today's news: Chatham County officials tackle affordable housing, and UNC football prepares to tackle Notre Dame.
As a Heavy Underdog, UNC Football Focusing on Itself vs. No. 3 Notre Dame
Will UNC beat No. 3 Notre Dame Saturday at a sold-out Kenan Stadium? History tells us that’s not likely to happen.
›