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Officials ID North Meck HS student who drowned at Mountain Island Lake

By Jenna Deery
By Jenna Deery

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A local family is heartbroken and overwhelmed with grief after rescue crews pulled the body of a 17-year-old North Mecklenburg High School student out of Mountain Island Lake Tuesday evening.

Detectives said Marcos Hernandez-Magana was swimming with a few friends before he drowned, but they are still trying to figure out what caused him to drown.

Friends said Hernandez-Magana played rugby at North Mecklenburg.

CHOPPER 9 SKYZOOM: Rescuers respond to possible drowning on Latta Plantation 
 
Family members gathered at the scene off Sample Road in Latta Plantation, which is a nature reserve and park. Friends stood by as divers and rescue crews suited up to locate the body of the teen.
 
"I would say we had close to 40 personnel on the ground searching. I would say we had five active divers from Charlotte Fire Department to locate (the teen)," Bill Suthard with Huntersville Fire Department said.

IMAGES: Rescue crews respond to possible drowning

Martha Marcias was visiting Latta Plantation when she saw a group of teens going into Mountain Island Lake. Not long after they got in, she noticed the first sign of trouble.
 
"Later, I could hear somebody say, 'Help,' but I think it was just play, and later I saw the police come," Marcias said.
 
Crews spent three hours combing through the waters to find Hernandez-Magana. Firefighters said sonar equipment found him between a rock and the shoreline.

North Meck Rugby posted a photo tribute to its Instagram page Wednesday showing Hernandez celebrating after the team's state semifinal win Friday night over Hough. The team plays Saturday in state finals against Charlotte Catholic.

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