The name of the man who drowned in Millers Pond State Park on Wednesday has been released.
Richard Bland, 21, of West Haven, drowned in the pond in Durham, officials from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said on Thursday.
Someone reported a distressed swimmer in the water around 4:30 p.m. and a Middletown police dive team, as well as rescue crews from Durham and Haddam, were called in to help with the search.
Bland was pulled from the water at 5:40 p.m., according to DEEP and emergency crews performed CPR on him. He was rushed to Middlesex Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Witnesses said Bland had been cliff diving when he went underwater.
Police said he became fatigued while swimming and his friends were not able to get him to shore.
The state's medical examiner ruled Bland's death an accidental drowning.
Local
The DEEP Environmental Conservation police are investigating.
