A 14-year-old British boy has drowned while on vacation in New York. Continue reading after the jump.
McKinley Day, from Chester, was swimming with his younger brother in the Beaver river near Croghan in New York when he encountered difficulties and began calling for help.
One local report said McKinley had been in a canoe just minutes before the accident.
State troopers said local people rushed to help the teenager but could not get to him in time.
An off-duty state police trooper from Idaho and his lifeguard niece found the boy minutes later under 8ft of water.
Their attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead in hospital at nearby Lowville.
The stretch of river, known as ‘Double Eddy,’ is a quiet pool downstream of rapids below a large dam.
It is situated about 230 miles north of New York city.
McKinley was visiting family friends with his mother and younger brother.
The accident happened in a stretch of water known locally as ‘Double Eddy’, which is downstream of the Taylorville Dam.
Last night, McKinley’s parents, Lesley and Adam, broke news of his death via his Facebook page.
In a short message addressed to ‘all McKinley’s friends’, they wrote: ‘We are devastated to tell you our son sadly passed away while on holiday in the USA.
‘We will always love you and miss you.’
The teenager’s friends also posted messages of condolence.
‘One posted the simple message: ‘Why McKinley?’ and another added: ‘You are my best friend.’
