NORTH HARMONY, N.Y. — The body of a missing swimmer unable to get back to a boat on Chautauqua Lake amid a storm on Sunday afternoon has been found and identified.

The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office identified the swimmer as Jamestown resident Brian T. Twardeski, 46, after the Chautauqua County Water Emergency and New York State Police Underwater Recovery Team located and recovered his body north of the Longview Avenue area of North Harmony around 11:30 a.m. Monday.

Several agencies began searching for Twardeski around 2:20 p.m. on Sunday in Longview and Cheney’s Point areas near the village of North Harmony, according to Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone, after receiving a report that he had gone missing on the lake while swimming with his girlfriend and three children.

“The kids were holding on to a rope as they were bringing them in and the father went in to help one of the kids,” Quattrone told The Post-Journal from the emergency services central command located at the Bemus Point Fishing Access Site, noting that the man got “overcome by the waves” caused by the storm after helping the children safely return to the boat.

“The wind kicked in so quick and rapidly,” Quattrone said. “They tried to throw him a life jacket, but the wind took that away. They tried throwing him a ring preserver, the wind took that away. With the wind, they lost sight of him.”

The life preserver that had been thrown to the individual was recovered, Quattrone said.

“It had never reached him. … It was reported to us that when they threw it in, the wind caught it and took it the opposite direction of where they were trying to throw it,” he added. “That’s how high the winds were.”

County Executive PJ Wendel, a volunteer firefighter and first responder, was on the boat that recovered the life preserver.

“We dropped buoys to mark the area,” Wendel said. “That proved to be helpful in his recovery. Somebody had found it and we told the person who was there to stay right there and marked the area.”

Wendel had known Twardeski — their sons played football together.

“He was a really good guy and every time we ever chatted, he was friendly, pleasant,” Wendel said. “Our kids have played together since midget football. Making chat when I see him. He was a super guy and just was out with his family and was making sure they were safe. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it and it’s incredibly sad.”

The search was suspended around 5 p.m. Sunday after the agencies received a report from the National Weather Service calling for lightning and another storm and resumed Monday morning at 7 a.m. In addition to the county’s emergency services and the state police, the search was aided by Bemus Point, Ashville and Lakewood police departments utilizing divers and sonar to help look for Twardeski’s body.

“We got the call at about 2 p.m.,” Wendel said. “I told everybody today, one of the things that happened is that everybody, all the firefighters and all of us from the volunteer side, we were all home and were all doing what we had to do on Sunday. We make a commitment to the people of our area. The storm had hit when we were dispatched so that made things challenging coming from Lakewood through the storm.”

Quattrone said those who had accompanied Twardeski are doing “as expected.”

“It’s a traumatic time for them. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family. There are several people impacted by this and we’re trying to work with them to give them the answers they need to start dealing and coping with the situation.”

Wendel also emphasized the need for those on the lake to utilize a life jacket.

“No matter how good of a swimmer you are, I’ve seen many a swimmer get fatigued in those waters,” he said. “Please make sure to have your life jacket on.”