Body believed to be Glacier National Park drowning victim recovered from Avalanche Creek

WEST GLACIER, Mont. (AP) — Glacier National Park rangers believe they have recovered the body of a man who drowned over the July 4th weekend, park officials said.

Siddhant Vitthal Patil, 26, of India fell into Avalanche Creek on July 6, but the creek was running too fast to recover his body.

A visitor spotted a body in the creek on Saturday morning and rangers recovered it, park officials said. Clothing and gear similar to what friends said Patil was wearing were also recovered. The body was taken to the Flathead County coroner’s office for identification using DNA or dental records.

Patil was hiking with friends above a gorge on Avalanche Lake Trail when he fell into the creek. It was unclear if he slipped on a wet rock or lost his balance, park officials said.

Patil, who had been living and working in California, was one of two men who drowned while vacationing in the park on on July 6.

Raju Jha, 28, of Nepal drowned in Lake McDonald. He was an inexperienced swimmer. His body was recovered later that day in 35 to 40 feet (11 to 12 meters) of water, park officials said.

Jha had been living in Portland, Oregon.