Christopher Lockwood 2011-07-22

Unalakleet teen drowns while trying to swim across river

By CASEY GROVE, casey.grove@adn.com, Published: July 24th, 2011

A teenager from the Western Alaska village of Unalakleet drowned Friday while trying to swim across a nearby river, according to Alaska State Troopers. v Troopers were notified about 9:30 p.m. Friday that Christopher Lockwood, 17, had died.

Lockwood and a friend had been swimming across the Unalakleet River when Lockwood faltered, troopers spokeswoman Beth Ipsen said.

The friend made it to the opposite bank, but Lockwood was only halfway across when he started struggling and calling for help, Ipsen said. A boater who saw Lockwood in trouble tried to reach him, but the teenager slipped beneath the surface, Ipsen said.

Searchers in several other boats continued to look for Lockwood, who was plucked from the water a short time later. He was taken to the local clinic and pronounced dead, Ipsen said.

There is no early indication that alcohol was involved, Ipsen said.

An investigation into the circumstances of Lockwood's death, continues, troopers said.