13-Year-Old Wading In Youghiogheny River Drowns

Boy Disappears While Wading Near Birdie's Landing

POSTED: 5:14 am EDT May 25, 2009
UPDATED: 7:51 pm EDT May 25, 2009

PORT VUE, Pa. -- The family of a 13-year-old boy spent Memorial Day grieving, after crews pulled his body from the Youghiogheny River.

Crews searched the river for hours before locating the body of a 13-year-old boy.

Divers found the body of August Berg, 13, of Versailles, shortly before midnight Sunday.

Slidehow: Pictures From The Scene

The boy and an 11-year-old girl had been wading in the Youghiogheny River near Birdie's Landing in Versailles Borough, when a wake, probably from a passing boat, took the boy under.

"The girl was holding on to him for a short period of time and then he went under the water. The girl was in the water and she waved to a man who was on another boat and he responded and took her into the boat," said White Oak police Chief Joe Hoffman.

Witnesses said that those who know the Youghiogheny know that it can be dangerous.

A helicopter assisted in the search for August Berg, who went missing while swimming in the Youghiogheny River.

"Over the years I've been a police officer, and I pulled people out of the river that just didn't make it," said Gary Hackett of Versailles. "Over the winter, when that river freezes, it changes the shore line every year, and it's a surprise.Who knows if there's holes, what kind of current? It's tough."

But several teenagers told Perrine that the river is safe, if you're a strong swimmer. They also said the weekend tragedy is not changing their minds about taking a dip.

"I think it's safe. I've never heard besides now of anyone getting, like, hurt in it or anything. Like I said, I've been doing this for four or five years. Just come down here and jump off because the thrill's amazing," said Jake Crosby of Versailles.

The 11-year-old girl received medical treatment, but authorities were not specific on her condition.

Boaters familiar with the river said that the water can be calm in one spot and swift in another.

Boaters told Channel 4 that even though parts of the Youghiogheny River are shallow, swift currents can be dangerous for swimmers.

"One spot up there by the railroad bridge it's shallow, but you've got a swift current because the train bridge with the piers makes like a funnel motion. There's one spot in the river that's about six feet deep but it's constantly running. The rest of it's two feet deep and it's just like a funnel. Very turbulent up there," one boater told Channel 4 Action News.