By PEGGY SENZARINO

Mason City Globe Gazette

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa — An afternoon of fun on Clear Lake turned tragic with the drowning death of a Clear Lake teenager Thursday.

The body of 16-year-old Jerrad Ramon of Clear Lake was recovered several hundred yards off the Clear Lake Sea Wall at 8:28 p.m. Thursday, according to a joint press release from the Clear Lake Police Department and Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department.

The Clear Lake Police Department received a call at 4:23 p.m. Thursday that a swimmer had gone under the water approximately 200 yards south of the downtown boat ramp at the end of Main Avenue.

Authorities said Ramon had been swimming with another teen, 14-year-old Larry Luna of Belmond. Police said Luna had just met Ramon that afternoon.

“They swam together to a marker buoy and were swimming back when the other young man (Ramon) complained he was in trouble. According to Luna and other witnesses, the young man (Ramon) waved his arms and went under the water and did not surface again,” according to a press release.

A couple of men on the shore swam towards Ramon but he disappeared under the water before they could reach him.

Clear Lake Police Chief Greg Peterson said Ramon was swimming in blue jeans, which may have made it more difficult.

The Clear Lake Police Department, Clear Lake Fire Department and Iowa Department of Natural Resources began rescue efforts.

After about an hour, the rescue efforts turned to the recovery of Ramon’s body. Eight members of the Iowa Underwater Search and Rescue dive team based out of Mason City were called and assisted in the recovery.

Ramon’s body was taken to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa by Clear Lake Ambulance for examination by the medical examiner.

Ramon’s family was notified at the scene, Peterson said.