17-year-old swimmer drowns at Lake Rathbun

A 17-year-old was pronounced dead on Wednesday night after drowning in a lake located in southern Iowa, officials said.

Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to Rathbun Lake in Moravia after receiving a call around 6 p.m. for a report of a drowning, according to a news release. Reports said a 17-year-old swimmer went under the water and didn’t resurface.

The Appanoose County Water Rescue team was deployed to search the scene, the release said. The rescue team found the teen’s body in 15 to 20 feet of water.

The teen was pronounced dead at the scene, the news release said.

Authorities are withholding the identity of the teen pending family notification.

The drowning is still under investigation, authorities said.

José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@dmreg.com.