Stonycreek River drowning leaves Coraopolis teen dead

Police say teen was on guided tubing trip in Somerset County

Police say teen was on guided tubing trip in Somerset County

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Police say teen was on guided tubing trip in Somerset County

The head of a swift water rescue team told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that a 13-year-old boy from Coraopolis who drowned in a Somerset County river Thursday was "stuck in the strongest part" of the current.

"The force of the water will pull you straight down," said Scott Grahn, manager of the Somerset County Swift Water Rescue Team. "It would be like bending over the hood of the car from the current."

Grahn said that the teen — who was submerged and face down in the water when first responders arrived — was wearing a personal flotation device and helmet. The protective gear, however, did not prevent the teen's feet from being trapped beneath rocks, which kept him under, Grahn said.

"He came down and his feet went down," Grahn said, noting it is one of the worst cases of feet entrapment he's seen in his 30 years of swift water rescues. "It's a freak thing that happened."

State police said in a statement that first responders were called shortly before noon to the Stonycreek River near Seanor and Miller Picking roads. They say the teen was on a guided tubing trip through Coal Tubin' Adventures out of Johnstown.

The teen fell from an inner tube and was trapped beneath the water, police said. Grahn's water rescue team pulled the boy from the river, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

"We fought hard," Grahn said, becoming emotional. "But you can't save everyone."

The Somerset County coroner ruled it an accidental death. The name of the teen who died has not been released.

Grahn said the entire rescue effort lasted about three and a half hours. His team was able to establish a line system and help the other kids on the trip back to shore safely.

"Some of them said, 'All I want is to go home,'" Grahn said.