Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 3, 1993 TAG: 9308030104
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: PEMBROKE LENGTH: Short
Authorities have not released the name of the youth, who was with a group called Young Marines, Nation's Capital.
"It's been ruled as an accidental drowning, apparently," said David Olson, public affairs officer for Jefferson National Forest.
Olson, who gave few details, said the incident occurred Sunday around 7:15 p.m., while the youth was swimming near Cascade Falls "in the area between the lower and upper falls."
He said divers from the Giles County Fire and Rescue Squad recovered the body about 2 1/2 hours later.
Olson said the Young Marines is a program of the Marine Corps League, which has headquarters in Michigan. He described the group as "like the Boy Scouts."
It's not known how many other people accompanied the youth during the group's visit to The Cascades.
It was the first drowning in The Cascades area that Dave Collins, ranger for the Blacksburg District, could remember in his five-year tenure.
About 70,000 people visit The Cascades each year, hiking about two miles up a trail along Little Stony Creek to the falls.
Keywords:
FATALITY
by CNB