SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, Pa. — Officials in Schuylkill County say the body of a drowning victim was recovered in a lake in Rush Township near Nesquehoning.
Lake Hauto spans along the border of Schuylkill and Carbon Counties.
The victim's family spoke with Newswatch16 at the lake Sunday afternoon and say 21-year-old Rene Figueroa of Lansford has been missing since he went boating on Friday.
After days of searching by both first responders and volunteers, his body was recovered Sunday afternoon.
The family tells us they are filled with sadness and questions after the loss of a loved one.
"Overall, a great kid, an amazing kid, and a great friend, you know. And an awesome swimmer, too. So, it really doesn't make no sense to how he drowned in a lake when we've been in oceans, we've been in lakes before, like none of these pieces add up, so we're just curious to stuff, you know what I mean? But in the midst of all that, Rene is an amazing kid. A heart of gold, a brother, a son, a nephew, you know, an uncle full of life full of joy, weasel I call him. He will forever be my weasel. So yeah, he's going to be missed," said Melissa Bonilla, aunt of Rene.
The death is under investigation by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission in Schuylkill County.
See news happening? Text our Newstip Hotline.