MORGANTOWN — One person drowned Tuesday evening in Cheat Lake.
The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office announced the death Wednesday. The victim’s name and gender were not released. Chief Deputy of Law Enforcement Mark Ralston said that was so the victim’s family could be fully notified.
Deputies were called to the Backwaters, off of Morgan Run, in Cheat Lake, for a drowning at 7:42 p.m., according to a press release.
The victim hadn’t been seen for three minutes when friends called 911, according to radio traffic on Tuesday evening.
Multiple witnesses said the victim was trying to swim to a concrete pier when they began struggling to stay afloat, the department said. People tried to aid the victim but were not successful.
The Morgantown dive team and Marion County dive team recovered the victim’s body at 9:10 p.m.
Mon EMS, Cheat Lake and Brookhaven Volunteer Fire Departments also responded.
Tuesday’s death is the first of the year at Cheat Lake. A 68-year-old woman drowned in Cheat Lake during a boating outing in 2018 and in 2017, a 20-year-old WVU student drowned while swimming.
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