Steuben County sheriff: Maryland teen drowns on Keuka Lake in Town of Urbana

A Maryland teenager who was visiting the Finger Lakes with his family drowned over the weekend on Keuka Lake near Hammondsport.

The Steuben County Sheriff's Office identified the victim as Ahmed Ayaz, 19, of Catonsville, Maryland.

The incident occurred around 1:42 p.m. Friday on Keuka Lake in the Town of Urbana, according to Sheriff Jim Allard.

The investigation revealed the family was on a Keuka Lake vacation, and they were on a pontoon boat in the lake when the victim jumped into the water to swim, Allard said.

Ayaz was unable to swim back to the boat, and went underwater. He was not wearing a personal flotation device, according to Allard.

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The Steuben County Mobile Crisis Team responded to the scene to provide treatment and counseling to the family and witnesses.

After scouring the lake for about ten hours, searchers located Ayaz with sonar and successfully recovered his body utilizing the Hammondsport Fire Department underwater drone.

The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office navigation unit was assisted in the search by the navigation units of the Livingston, Monroe and Yates County sheriff’s offices, along with New York State Police, Hammondsport, Pulteney, and Wayne Volunteer fire departments, and Steuben County Emergency Management.

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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Maryland teen drowns while swimming in Keuka Lake in Steuben County