Authorities say a 16-year-old male from Newport drowned in the Buffalo River late Monday afternoon.
Officials with the National Park Service report the incident occurred around 5:15 p.m. at Grinder’s Ferry, a popular destination on the river between Marshall and Harrison, just off US Highway 65 South.
Reports say the teen was swimming across the river when he was apparently pulled under by the current, which was described as swift and strong. Witnesses on the scene said he never surfaced.
The teenager was not wearing a life jacket, authorities say.
The teen’s body was later found in about 10 to 15 feet of water.
The boy’s name was not released.
File image of Grinder’s Ferry on the Buffalo National River from 2019
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