Searchers Spotted a Jacket in the Water — What They Found Next Turned Matt Brown’s Story Into a Tragedy

Searching for “Alaskan Bush People” star Matt Brown‘s body in a raging river was like finding a needle in a haystack … at least according to a first-hand account from the private search party that found him.Chay Wilkerson Moore lead the private search party who recovered Brown’s body from the Okanogan River in Washington state, and he tells TMZ kayakers were able to spot his brown jacket in the fast-moving brown water Saturday, just a few miles South from where he was last seen alive.

Moore — who has spearheaded 12 successful recoveries over the last 5 years — says kayakers had to scour the riverbank inch by inch because Matt’s clothing blended in with the murky water and scenery … and he was in a remote area not easily accessible by law enforcement.When they found Brown, Moore says the volunteer rescuers had to be extra careful getting him out of the water … and he tells us how a local resident with a small fising boat played a key role in the recovery efforts.As we reported … Matt vanished last week after being seen near the Okanogan River. His family feared he was dead even before his body was found … and we told you about a rescue mission that started when a bystander alerted authorities of a suicidal man — presumably Brown — who shot himself before being swept away by the strong river current.

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Despite Brown’s reality TV fame, Moore — who uses his Facebook page to rally behind and assist in search efforts — says he was surprised by how few people reached out to him to join the search effort … adding that those who did volunteer loved Brown deeply.

Family sources told us most of the fam cut Brown off several years ago because they could no longer support him amid his ongoing addiction struggles … but Moore says his younger brother Noah was among those who contacted him, and who eventually identified his body.

Matt’s other brother, Bear, confirmed Saturday evening Matt took his own life … and was clearly shaken by the news despite being estranged.