Tragedy on the waters of Berlin Lake leaves one man dead tonight.  A weekend of camping was drawing to a close Sunday morning on the banks of Berlin Lake, just outside of Deerfield.

David Allison, Assistant Fire Chief, Deerfield;  "HE WAS JUST SWIMMING WITH HIS BUDDIES AND HE CROSSED THE INLET. HE FELL BEHIND, AND HIS BUDDIES REALIZED HE FELL BEHIND. THEY TURNED AROUND AND SAW HIM FLAILING AND WENT UNDER THE WATER."

That was the last they had seen of their friend, 20-year Matthew Shiplitt of Akron had been swallowed by the lake. Immediately the Portage County Water Rescue Team was called in to try to find him.

One of the difficulties that rescue crews faced when they arrived here was the fact that lake was several hundred feet through this wooded area. They had to bring in all terrain vehicles to access the scene.  Once on the water, divers begin their search. Its not an easy one, they experience total darkness much of the time.

Matt Roosa, Portage County Water Rescue;  "THE BOTTOM HERE IS USUALLY SILTY, MUDDY. SO WE SEARCH FROM THE BOTTOM OR RIGHT OFF THE BOTTOM. USUALLY THEY'RE KICKING UP ALL KINDS OF SAND, SILT, MUD.  IT IS PITCH BLACK. BASICALLY YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR HAND IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE."

After about an hour of searching the objective of the rescue crew changes from search and rescue to recovery mode.

"THE GOLDEN HOUR IN TRAUMA IN MEDICAL. IF YOU CAN RECOVER SOMEONE IN THAT FIRST HOUR, THEIR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL ARE GREATER."

Shiplitt's body was recovered after more than three hours of searching the murky waters. It will be sent to Akron for an autopsy to determine a cause of death.