Glacier Park drowning victim identified

The Daily Inter Lake

Glacier National Park officials are investigating a drowning on Swiftcurrent Lake in the Many Glacier Valley.

The body of James R. Greene, a 22-year-old from Harrisburg, Pa., was recovered shortly before noon Tuesday about 20 feet from shore in about 8 feet of water. He was a former Glacier Park Inc. employee.

Rangers were notified at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday that two males had been canoing on the lake, and the canoe tipped over at about 3 a.m. Both men attempted to swim to shore, but only one person safely made it. The survivor is Joseph "Clay" Nelson from Spring, Texas. He is a current GPI employee at the Many Glacier Hotel.

At the time of the incident, the temperature was in the mid- to upper 40s and it was not raining. Nearly 20 park employees searched the area Tuesday morning. A helicopter and a dive team from Flathead County were requested but they were not needed.

Greene's body was sent to Glacier County coroners office. The National Park Service is requesting an autopsy as part of the investigation.