TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A day of kayaking on a lake in the Poconos turns to tragedy. On Sunday, crews say a man is dead after a reported drowning in Monroe County.
Officials say crews were called to the 100 block of Sir Bradford Road in Tobyhanna Township near Lake Kathryn for a reported drowning victim shortly before 12:30 p.m.
The call originally came in as two people in the water, but one got out before rescue crews arrived.
Authorities explained that the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department and the Tobyhanna Township Fire Department were on scene, handling the response with several dive teams.
Dive crews later located the man's body at the bottom of the lake within minutes, but by then, he had already been underwater for a couple of hours.
The victim was not wearing a life jacket when he was found.
1 woman dead, former PSU WR injured, after ATV crashThe Monroe County Coroner's Office released a statement identifying the man who died as 40-year-old Bibin Michael from New Jersey, who was pronounced dead
The coroner says Michael was pronounced dead on the scene at 3:35 p.m. after a water related incident.
An autopsy will be scheduled and the cause and manner of death is currently pending, according to the release.
The Pocono Mountain Regional Police are investigating the incident.
Shortly after the coroner's office released information, the Pocono Mountain Regional Police also issued a press release in regards to the incident.
Police say that they learned about 20 people were staying a long-term rental on the 100 block of Sir Bradford Road.
Authorities say two people entered the water on a kayak that was provided by the rental and were wearing life vests.
Police explained that they were on the lake for about five to 10 minutes before it got windy, which caused the kayak to flip over and they fell into the lake.
While the pair were trying to hold onto the kayak and make it back to shore, police say other family members saw it happen and heard them call out for help.
According to police, Michael jumped into the water to save them, but half way between the shoreline and the kayak, Michael went under and did not resurface.
"One thing I have to preach is put on a life jacket. If he had a life jacket on we wouldn't be here today," Tobyhanna Township Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Edward Tutrone told 28/22 News.
This is a developing story, and 28/22 News will provide updates as they are made available.