LONGVIEW, Wash. -- A 20-year-old man drowned Friday after he rescued a 9-year-old from the Cowlitz River in southwest Washington, sheriff's deputies said.

Witnesses said Allen Heck, of Longview, was on a beach off the river about a mile north of the Allen Street Bridge when he saw the girl in distress in the water. Heck dove into the water, witnesses said, and held the girl above the water until someone on the shore could grab her.

Deputies said Heck then went under, came up and went under again. He did not resurface.

"I hear yelling and these (teenage) girls reach over and pull the girl out of the water and she's in shock," said witness Sean Grendon. "Next thing I know, they're yelling, 'He's under! He's under!'"

Divers searched for several hours for Heck, but they suspended the search late Friday night. Heck's body was recovered at about 10:45 a.m. after he was found 50 yards down river from where he was last seen.

Cowlitz County Sheriff's Capt. Mark Nelson said Heck made "the ultimate sacrifice."

"Now and again, someone does something amazing in life and in doing so, gives up their own," Nelson said. "That's a hero."

Heck did not know the girl.

Deputies said the girl wandered into the water while a group of people were swimming in the area. The area where she was pulled from the water was about 8 to 12 feet deep, deputies said.

The child didn't suffer any injuries, according to the Coast Guard.