Okla. teen drowns near Doniphan

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- An Oklahoma teen drowned Saturday afternoon in the Current River south of Doniphan.

Divers recovered the body of Tyler Snowden, 17, of Stafford, Okla., at 9:15 a.m. Sunday morning, according to Missouri State Water Patrol regional spokesman Dave Nelson.

Snowden went swimming around 3 p.m. Saturday at Paradise Acre, about one mile above the Arkansas state line. He was with three other boys.

Water patrolmen and members of Doniphan Fire and Rescue were called and searched the area for Snowden until 10 p.m. Saturday. They returned at 6 a.m. Sunday and three hours later found Snowden's body about 50 yards downstream from where he was last sighted, Nelson said.

His family described Snowden as a swimmer, Nelson said.

Alcohol was not a contributing factor in his death, according to authorities.

There have been 17 drownings in Missouri this year, with eight of those on Southeast Missouri rivers.

"We recommend anytime you are out, to have a life jacket or at least a throwable flotation device, in case someone does start having trouble," Nelson said.

When swimming in a river, people need to be aware of how deep and how fast the water is, he added.

"Flooding earlier this year has changed the river," Nelson said. "There are places that are deeper and places that are more shallow now. There are new snags and there may be new fallen trees under the water. People need to treat [the waterways] like new rivers until they get to know the river again."

Nelson also said if someone ever sees another swimmer go under, to try to remember the exact location because that will give rescue workers a place to begin search efforts.