Authorities have identified the man who drowned in the New River near downtown Fort Lauderdale as Malik S. Jones, 21, of Miramar. Fort Lauderdale Police confirmed the identity on Tuesday, adding that the circumstances of the incident appear to be an accidental drowning. However, the investigation remains ongoing. Police said the initial report came in around 2:40 a.m. on Jan. 18, when witnesses saw a man in distress in the river near 20 W Las Olas Boulevard. A Good Samaritan jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue the man but lost sight of him before making contact, according to police. Emergency responders, including Fort Lauderdale police and fire units and the Broward Sheriff’s Office aviation unit, conducted a search with no results. The FLPD dive team later recovered a body believed to be Jones.